Re: Grimm
by Purriah
Summary: Torn from his world, Naruto is sent into Limbo upon death. His memories become fragmented as his soul slowly becomes purified for the cycle of reincarnation. Before he could be cleansed fully, he is sent to another plane to meet a "God" who no longer has power over their dimension. How will Naruto use the new lease at life he's been given? OOC Naruto. Slow Pace. Some Gore.
1. Prologue: From Limbo to Life

**Naruto x RWBY x Re: Monster (Minor)**

 **WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **Summary:** Torn from his world, Naruto is sent into Limbo upon death. His memories become fragmented as his soul slowly becomes purified for the cycle of reincarnation. Before he could be cleansed fully, he is sent to another plane to meet a "God" who no longer has power over their dimension. How will Naruto use this new lease at life? OOC Naruto. Slow Pace. Some Gore. Read A/N for more.

 **A/N:** So this is my second story! I know, it's a reincarnation story, so unoriginal right?...Welp, I have no defense. I've seen stories of a similar nature to this one, so I won't even say this 'type' of story is original, but I think the content will be entertaining all the same, and go into different things other stories haven't.

I don't have this story as well thought out as I do for **NaruKami** , but when ya get the urge to write, you just gotta go with the flow.

So now, I will pre-frame so you know what to expect:

 **Naruto is out of character?**

Yes...Yes he is. I would use an OC, but there are some things and theories I want to bring in from the Naruverse that only revolve around him. He is out of character because his memories will be fragmented. I still haven't decided if he will regain them.

 **Parings? Pairings?! PAIRINGS!**

Woah...just take it easy man. (Quote by Drake Bell)

I have no confirmation other than that Naruto definitely won't be by his lonesome. Even as I say this...Romances will not happen for a long time.

I will also admit that I lean toward harems. I have a lot of favorite characters, and I am indecisive, so sue me. So again...do **NOT** be surprised if this turns out to be a **harem**...you have been warned.

Though I am sorry for those who are Ruby and Weiss fans...I don't want to pair them with him. I don't mind them as characters, but I just do not want it to happen, so again...sorry.

If you can provide a convincing argument, you may have a sliver of a chance.

I'm not looking for suggestions at the moment, and just going with the flow.

 **Since the Story is called Re: Grimm, Does it crossover with other stuff?**

Yes. The more obvious crossover is Naruto x RWBY, but there is a crossover with Re: Monster (not the characters, just the story elements). There are other story elements I will be pulling from other Animes/mangas/etc. And I will make note of them when the time comes. Don't worry, it wont just be a pile of random shit in one story. Everything I add has a purpose and should flow well with it...If I am good enough to pull that off. But we will see!

 **What kind of "Naruto" are we talking here?**

Well...This will be a bit difficult to describe since there will be a few different facets to this Naruto. I will say that there are both dark, and light elements in this story. The beginning **WILL** turn out to be a bit dark for the most part...and here is my warning... **There** **MAY** **be detailed gore at some point, and I will be sure to give fair warning!**...So this story may not be good for those who are weak in the stomach...seriously, don't.

The lighter moments won't happen until after I get through Naruto's development. Expect the dark and light moments to alternate frequently.

 **Does Naruto have Chakra?**

No, this Naruto has **No Chakra!** Reason being...I wanted to use this story to test my ability in altering pre-existing characters and abilities. Naruto will still be strong (and smart in this story), but it won't necessarily be in the same way. He will adapt to using the abilities he is provided in the RWBY-verse. If you want to see a Naruto with chakra, you can check out my other story, or various others that other people have made.

 **What will the update schedule be like?**

For this story? Whenever I feel like it. My main focus is still on **NaruKami** , so I will update this when I have the opportunity. The chapters may also be shorter than **NaruKami** (2000-5000 words, maybe more depending on whether or not I'm in the zone).

Right now, this story is going through a trial phase. Depending on how it turns out in the first few chapters, and if I feel like I can keep it going, I will. If not...then I will postpone it until I _do_ feel like picking it up again. By no means will I drop it without valid reason and fairly good warning.

With that being said, I hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, or Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters (if I decide to make any), and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Prologue – From Limbo to Life**

Limbo.

Not much is known about the word, what it means, and what it refers to.

There have been many references, definitions, and perceptions of the word and what it entailed.

It is believed by some that it is the abode of souls, where those who have reached the end of their time come to rest.

Others believe that it is a space that is void of all things, where souls gather to await judgement for an unknown time.

It was a truth that always escaped humanity because it was beyond their time. Only in death would this knowledge truly reveal itself, and that is where we find us now.

Spanning the darkness of empty space were countless orbs of souls, with each shining in varying hues of colors and lights.

The number seemed infinite and overwhelming, and some shined brighter than others, but all were fated to diminish at some point.

By no means do these souls disappear, they go through a process of reincarnation. When the light of these souls have diminished, it means that they have been 'purified' of their previous life.

This means the memories, experiences, and all things that came with their previous life are reset to a moldable, base state. From there, they will enter a new beginning, until it is their time to once again to return to the space where all souls reside.

The light represents the will and resistance of the souls against the process of reincarnation. The brighter they are, the stronger they can resist the affects of 'purification'...but the end is always inevitable.

That was...until now.

Across the sea of souls, there were few that could stand above the rest and be so pronounced in presence.

But there was one soul that shone a bright hue of orange that seemed to illuminate the darkness of its immediate surroundings. It was bright like the sun and firm like a diamond. Its will seemed almost unshakeable.

 _Where...is this? What happened?_

The sun-like soul had thought to itself.

 _I think I...died? But...how?_

The bright soul seemed confused and lost. It wasn't aware that the degradation of it's memories and previous life had already begun the process of cleansing.

As it tried to recollect the lost memories, it could feel a sharp pain from resistance through its pointless effort.

 _AHH! Shit...why...why can't I remember...?_ It thought in slight anger and annoyance.

 _I was in a war...there was a large beast with a single eye…that's right! The Juubi! But...what happened afterwards?_

Since the process had only begun, it was still able to recall what may have lead to it's death, as well as its life up until that point. He began by attempting to remember those he knew and his own name.

 _I can still remember my name...Naruto Uzumaki. I was fighting with Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi...my dad and many other shinobi...so maybe I'm suffering from short term memory loss?_

As a soul, the now named light that was Naruto Uzumaki was unable to 'see', but it was able to sense and 'feel' for things.

 _What happened to my body?! Where is everyone?!_

Naruto began to panic.

Not many souls were blessed with the awareness he had. It was both a blessing, and a curse.

A blessing to that you can recall the times you had in your life before heading to a new one.

It was a curse because you were forced to be aware that your memories are slowly dying as time progressed, until the moment it completely vanished.

And thus began the inner turmoil and suffering of Naruto Uzumaki, as he slowly began to forget himself and all those he once held dear.

* * *

How much time had passed since Naruto became aware?

Days? Weeks? Months?

In a plane where there seems to be nothing but endless souls, there was no way of telling time properly, but he knew that he didn't have long.

It didn't take long for him to become aware that he was slowly losing his memories, and that fact scared him.

He tried with all his will to resist, and though he was able to prolong his fate, there was a cost.

If he had let his memories die passively, it would have been done in inverse order from the time he died, down until his first breath of life.

Because he was aggressive in overturning fate, however, his memories became fragmented in what was lost and what remained.

He knew he had forgotten some important people already...he could recall he was on a team with people, but the names were lost to him.

He knew there was a woman who was the leader of his village that he grew close to...and funnily (but pathetically) enough, he could only recall her giant breasts.

He knew there was an old man with white, long hair who had a tendency for peeping on woman, but he couldn't remember his name. He knew this was important to him, and held some significance in his life, because the hurt was much greater when he forgot this man.

The price of fighting against fate were the memories of people he had once fought to protect.

This thought had brought him despair, but he refused to give in to fate. He was never one to follow the rules set before him. He was born to bend them and mark his own path in life.

 _I will not succumb to this...I will not let the time I spent...the lessons I learned...and the life I lived, die like this! I am Naruto Uzu-fucking-maki!_

It was this thought that sent a surge of power and light in the distance, once more shedding light into the abyss of emptiness.

As Naruto continued his battle, he did not realize he managed to catch the attention of a primordial being that was _far_ above any god that had been mentioned within the folds of time and space, and further beyond that.

It was a being that carried no bias, no emotion, and no thought.

The being was the _law_ of the universe given form.

This being was the _network_ that connected all planes of existences and parallel universes.

This being was the _god_ of what all things were, are, and will be.

Peace, Love, and War.

Past, Present, and Future.

Creation, Evolution, and Destruction.

Everything that existed, were within its domain.

And with Naruto's outburst, a chord was struck.

It felt the will of Naruto synchronize with a 'creator' of one particular universe.

With such a powerful attraction, it decided to harmonize the two beings by bringing them together.

Naruto began to feel his soul begin to disappear, greatly shocking him.

 _What the hell?! I thought I still had time! What's goin-_

In but a moment, and before he could finish that last thought, a flash of white engulfed the once dark abyss. As the light dissipated, the presence of Naruto was no longer in sight.

* * *

"Hahh...I wish I could have done more..."

Deep within the stretches of space, floating amongst the large array of stars was a lone figure that was an ethereal white in appearance. Surrounding was a deep glow, with no features that could be seen besides the shape of his figure.

Not far from him was a shattered moon with fragments that seemed to stray outwardly, seemingly to escape the source.

Beneath the damaged moon was a world of his creation...remnant.

This figure was the "God" (so to speak) of this dimension. It was a world of his own design, one he created with great hopes and dreams...unfortunately, circumstances had lead from one thing to another, and not everything was as happy as he had planned.

There was so much more he wanted to do with this dimension...so much more he _still_ wants to do, but he did not possess the means.

So now, he can only watch as time passes the world by, and hope that things will turn out for the better...but lately, he has turned to wishing for a change...a miracle of sorts to change the way the world was set.

 _I wonder if there is a way I coul-_

But before this god could finish that thought, a flash of white engulfed his vision, temporarily blinding him.

When the light dimmed and his vision returned once more, he opened his eyes to find the source of the light.

He did not need to look far because before him was a small, orange, orb of light.

This drew a curious look from the god, as he began to question it's existence.

 _This thing...must be a soul...what is it doing so far out of Limbo?_

As he examined the orb closer, and hint of shock could be heard from his tone of voice.

 _This soul hasn't been purified completely! How did it even get here...?_

As the god continued to mull over these thoughts, the orange soul began to regain its bearings as it took in its surroundings.

 _Ugh...what happened...and where is this?_

Hearing the thoughts of the soul, the god once more became astonished as he looked on.

 _This soul can even communicate? There is definitely something strange about this one..._

No longer willing to hold back their curiosity, the god finally spoke, "Ah! Welcome to my domain lost soul!"

Finally being aware of another presence, Naruto focused onto the ethereal figure in surprise and asked, "What? Who are you?!"

The ethereal figure chuckled lightly before they continued with their arms spread in exxageration, "Well, to answer your questions...it's as I said before! You are in my domain! I am the "God" of this dimension, and as for what happened...I don't have a clue."

The orange soul seeming to raise an imaginary eyebrow at his words.

"A God? Dimension?...Honestly, you completely lost me...and if you're a god, how don't you know? Didn't you bring me here?"

The ethereal figure just shrugged their shoulder with hands raised, "I'm afraid that's beyond my ability. As I said, I'm a "God" of _this_ dimension, so there is no way I could pull you in from another one. Especially from Limbo, the abode of souls that await judgement to pass."

The figure then took a seated position in space and continued, "Only one god has the authority to do that...and before you ask, there is no way I would know the reason...but I do know that nothing is done without a purpose."

Moving a hand to their chin, the transparent figure mumbled to himself, "You really are a mystery..."

He then asked in a questioning tone, "Do you happen to remember your name?"

With how confusing the situation was, Naruto could only nod dumbly and answer, "Yea, it's Naruto...Naruto Uzumaki."

Upon hearing that name, the figure's unseen eyes seemed to widen as he thought, _Naruto? As in, THE Naruto? From_ _ **that**_ _dimension?!_

Noticing the god's surprise, Naruto decided to ask out of curiosity, "Why does it seem like you know me?"

Being broken away from their thoughts, the figure looked towards Naruto with a hidden smirk.

 _The primordial god definitely answered my prayers if_ _ **he's**_ _here! This may be the change this world needs...for better or worse has yet to be determined, and only time will tell._

The figure then turned his attention to the orange soul once more, "Well yes, of course! Us "Gods" are very familiar with the others to a certain extent...and yours is definitely among the most famous of them all!"

Though Naruto was plenty curious about how they were all connected amongst other things...there was another thing that had been bothering him for a bit now.

"You've been punctuating the word "God" for a while now... are you a god or not?"

The figure seemed to scratch its head at the question, aware that the coming conversation may just confuse the soul of Naruto even more...but he digressed.

"Well...I use the term "God" lightly, as do all the others because there is only one _true_ god amongst us...the rest of us are what you may call, 'Creators'."

It was Naruto's turn to ask in confusion, "Well...what's the difference between a _true_ god and a 'Creator'?"

The figure responded lazily while floating around the orb in space with relaxed ease, "'Creators' are only responsible for the dimension they created, while the _true_ god governs all things, to put it simply."

The figure then stopped in front of the soul and continued, "In case you were wondering...the creator of your world is a man called Masashi Kishimoto. Where I came from, he was fairly famous amongst other 'Creators', hence why I am familiar with who you are. In fact, there probably isn't a 'Creator' from my plane that _doesn't_ know about you!"

Naruto had so many questions swarming around in his mind. There was just so much he wanted to know at one time…but despite his curiosity about these 'Creators', he figured he should wrap his head around one thing at a time.

So far, he was not provided with anything that concerned his current situation, which was his immediate worry for the moment.

Taking his attention from the figure, he finally took the time to view his surroundings, "So I know this is your domain…but what exactly is this place?"

The figure sent his gaze upon the world before answering, "This world of mine is called 'Remnant'. It's a world filled with skilled fighters known as hunters and huntresses…to make it easier for you to understand, they can be considered equivalent to the shinobi of your world. Though, I will admit that the general populace aren't nearly as skilled, nor versatile, as the people of your dimension...but by no means are they weak."

At this point, Naruto could sense the mood of the figure shift into one of sadness.

The figure continued, " This world…it was meant for so much more. The potential was staggering, and I poured my heart and soul into every part of its design…unfortunately, I can't influence the world like I was once able to."

This drew Naruto's attention as he thought, _He no longer has influence over this world? How can a 'Creator' not have power over the world they made?_

As if he could sense Naruto's thoughts, the figure said, "Right now, I am in a similar state to what you are in. I am a shadow of my former self, with little power to affect a dimension as large as this."

Gazing at the shattered moon, he spoke with a sense of melancholy, "You see, us 'Creators' come from various worlds, but a majority of us come from a place called Earth."

 _Earth? They named their planet based on an element?_ Thought Naruto. His planet never had a proper name, everything was just referred to as the Elemental Nations as a whole. It was interesting to him that a world would name themselves after an element.

 _Their primary element must have been towards earth release,_ he thought inwardly.

The figure just shook his head, knowing Naruto had misunderstood him, "Your forgetting that this world is completely different from yours. We didn't have powers like you, or many others did. Regardless, we weren't simple people. We more than made up for our lack of ability with our technology and adaptability. We were capable of things many others weren't close to having."

He then adopted a proud stance as he floated, "We invented things to communicate from long distances and we were capable of sending a normal man to the moon, without the use of some 'miracle' source of energy like ki or chakra. Our world was filled with innovators. I myself was the mastermind behind an animated series."

Naruto appeared confused with all of the unknown terms that were being thrown around, but he could tell that it was definitely amazing from how the figure spoke with such passion and pride.

The 'Creator' once more entered a somber mood after retelling some of the greatest inventions his world made and bragging about what they have done.

"I won't bore you with the details…but essentially us 'Creators' had invented worlds from our imagination, without even knowing it could become a reality."

"How could you not know? When you create an entire dimension, I would imagine it would be hard to miss." Naruto questioned, perplexed by the logic he was presented. One would think a person would be aware of the fact they had created a whole different plane of existence...right?

"You would be right," the figure started, "but in our world, they were just works of fiction; fabrications meant for entertainment. It isn't until you meet certain qualifications and pass through limbo that you are given the chance to make fiction a reality…however, there is always a downside to miracles such as this."

Silence reined for a moment before Naruto spoke up, "And I assume that cost…was that you could no longer affect the world you created?"

The 'Creator' nodded their head in return, "Yes…You see, I was only able to create this dimension because I was 'alive' in my original world. Due to unforeseen…medical issues, I passed away before I could complete it. I was only able to _directly_ change the world while I was alive…but now? I am nothing more than an ethereal being with limited power."

The figure then sent Naruto a 'look' that he knew was mischievous in nature.

"However, with all restrictions come loopholes...And _that_ , is where _you_ come in."

"Me?" He questioned in bewilderment.

"What can I do? In case you haven't noticed…I don't even have a body."

The figure chuckled lightly at Naruto's confusion, finding such a famous figure to be confused raher entertaining to watch, " I can see that, but you underestimate your potential. While I can't change the world in some _godly,_ and direct way, I am more than capable of allowing you to exist in my world."

If Naruto had a face, his eyes would no doubt be widened in shock.

"You mean…I can have another chance? At life?"

The figure merely nodded, "Of course! It is definitely within my power to do so," but then he adopted a solemn, serious look, "however…as a residual soul, you will need to occupy a body."

"Why is that an issue?" He asked, only to receive an answer he had no desire to hear, and no doubt was shocked by.

"It isn't necessarily a problem…for you. In order for you to exist," He paused with a short sigh, "you need to occupy an already existing host…meaning, whichever body you choose to take, whatever life was there initially will disappear…forever."

In a horrified tone, he stuttered, " W-What? Is it impossible for me to start as a newborn in this world?!"

The figure merely shook his head gravely, " Yes…but again, you would only be taking away the future of the unborn host. You seem to forget that you are an anomaly to this world Naruto, so there _is_ no empty human vessel for you to take over…Is this something you still want to do, even after hearing all this?"

At that, Naruto shook his head without hesitation, "Even if I think this is a rare opportunity…I can't do this. I won't take away someone's future just so I can have another shot at life."

At those words, the figure seemed to nod his head, satisfied by the answer.

 _You truly live up to your legacy, Naruto Uzumaki,_ thought the figure.

 _I'm positive you will bring about great change to Remnant._

"I had a feeling you would say that…that's why I found another way for you to enter my world."

With renewed excitement in his voice, Naruto asked, "And how is that?"

Seeing he had his attention, the figure continued, "I can reincarnate you as a creature from this world called Grimm, who possess form, yet no _natural_ soul…I will not lie to you though. These creatures are regarded with hate by humanity, and they are truly a dark force as they are now…but the people of this world don't understand that there is more than meets the eye with these creatures. They have so much potential, and they were meant for so much more, much like everyone else...but there is nothing I can do at this point."

The figure then sent Naruto a pleading gaze, "If you choose to become a Grimm, you will go through a lot of hardships and changes in your life, some greater than the pain you may have experienced in your previous world…you will be forced to do things you never have even had _nightmares_ of doing...you may not even come out as the same person you went in as…but I believe you are someone who can do good, and change the world for all races on Remnant…so please, consider this with deep thought."

To hear that he would be reincarnated as a monster…Naruto was obviously not too happy to hear that. He may not remember much of his previous life…but he knew it was one of hardship. It was difficult to recall everything in order now that they were fragmented, but he knew he went through a period where he was considered a monster.

 _Is that something I really want to live through again?_ He thought in deep contemplation.

As he continued to think, he asked himself…did he really turn out so bad?

Yes, he might have experienced pain in the past, but did he fall into corruption? Did he truly live up to the title of 'demon' he had placed upon him?

The answer was…no.

He pressed on despite the neglect and pain he experienced, and became stronger than ever.

In fact…he thought that with challenges and hardship, you will become stronger, faster, and wiser more quickly than any other method that could be used.

He was considered a monster once, and he came out on top…what would make this time any different?

After careful thought, Naruto answered, "I understand…I will become a Grimm, and I promise to try my best to change the world for the better, and I never go back on a promise."

The figure clapped their hands together in excitement and yelled, "Great! Unfortunately, I am only able to enter you into the Blank period, so-"

"Blank period? What is that?" Naruto interrupted.

The figure slapped his hand to his forehead and said, "Ahh, sorry about that. When I was alive on earth, even though I created this dimension, I was only able to go into detail about _some_ of the history. The 'blank' period represents the part of history I have yet to create."

"Why can't I insert myself into the era of history you created?"

"It has to do with the loopholes in the laws the true God had established. The history I made can't be changed through direct means. If something is to be changed, I need to do something _before_ my history became established. This variable, which will be you, can alter the history from that period on. I'm not sure how far you will be from the original timeline, I just know it will be quite a bit ahead...it could span from a few years, to centuries...but you don't need to worry about age. As a Grimm, you won't die with the progression of time. You can only die if you are killed directly."

Naruto nodded his head in understanding, before asking, "Is there anything I need to be aware of before heading off?"

The figure nodded his head and said, "Just keep one thing in mind. This dimension I created is centered around eight key individuals." He then pressed his finger against Naruto's soul and a white glow formed around his orange soul.

He felt a warm sensation and immediately after, eight different, shadowy figures with varying colors surrounding them like a cloak appeared in his mind.

The first was a blurred red, moving at incredible speeds and radiating joy and energy.

The second was a cold white, frigid in countenance and elegant in style.

The third was a deep black, agile in flow, flexible in movement, and shrouded in mystery.

The fourth was a burning yellow that raged and danced wildly with both passion and fury.

The fifth was a bright yellow, clumsy in appearance, but strong in heart.

The sixth was an ecstatic pink, over abundant in excitement and wild in power.

The seventh was a captivating red, noble in heart and genuine in kindness.

The last was a split between green and pink, quiet and lax at times, but honorable and strong all the same.

Naruto could also feel a small amount of general information regarding the world of Remnant flow into his mind.

When Naruto regained himself, he took in the figure once more and saw his form change from its former ethereal white appearance to an individual with a normal, human appearance and dark hair.

The figure smiled and said, "Do remember these figures, because they hold great significance for this dimension. How you act towards them…I leave it up to you. I only ask that whatever you decide upon, you think it through carefully."

Naruto said nothing, and only bowed his head in confirmation.

The now human figure smiled wider and said, "Thank you Naruto…I really hope you can change this world. It was long over due for change…I will send you in just a moment, but first…is there anything else you'd like to ask of me?"

There were many things Naruto could ask…he was very curious about the creators, the true God, the dimensions…the questions were endless.

But…he figured that they weren't things he had the ability to become involved with, nor did he have a desire to.

So he opted to ask a single thing.

"I've been curious about this since I first met you, and I still have yet to hear the answer…who are you? Not your title or what you were responsible for…but who are _you_?"

The figure sent him an honest smirk with hands folded behind his back, "Sorry…I didn't mean to ignore you outright, there was just too much to cover in so little time. As for who I am…My name's Monty Oum."

He then waved his hand in front of him and said as Naruto began to disappear once more in a flash of white, "…I have high hopes for you."

With that said, Naruto was gone and the 'Creator', now named Monty, sat once again in silence as he looked over the world of Remnant.

 _I certainly didn't expect him to come here…but I guess the stories were true…he really is an unpredictable existence. I wonder what you will do, Naruto Uzumaki._

* * *

 **R.I.P. Monty!**

 **A/N:** This is only a **prologue** , so don't expect the story to start here. This entire chapter just explains how Naruto gets to the new world, and nothing really exciting happens. It does, however, set some plot points for the future and helps to explain some things later down the line, so pay attention!

I may come back to this prologue to edit it, so beware!

Don't get too hung up about 'Creators', gods, dimensions, and all that. Most will be explained far into the future, but feel free to ask anyway...I just won't answer.

I threw a LOT at you, so I can understand if a lot of you are confused. Like it was mentioned, this story will start _**LOOOOOONG**_ before it even gets to canon...but keep in mind I will have time-skips to make up for this. Grimm can be very old, and I wanted Naruto to be an aged, and experienced, Grimm before continuing his journey into Canon.

The only thing I wanted you to take away from this chapter, was how Naruto came to the RWBY-verse, how he lost some memories, why they were jumbled up, and why he is a Grimm instead of a human upon reincarnation.

Do leave reviews and comments, whether they be critical or supportive. I appreciate both. This story is more experimental for me, so do let me know what you think.

~Stay cool, but don't Freeze


	2. This Animal I have Become

**Update 2/26/2017: Changed the name of this chapter. The old name will be used for a later chapter (Chapter 6)**

* * *

 **Warning! Some Gore in this chapter!**

 **ALSO!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **A/N:** Now I saw some questions and comments from curious reviews, that I will try to answer:

 **Harem?! Don't do it man.**

I think the main issue with harems on fanfiction is how the story is sacrificed to focus on unrealistic content regarding female characters, and their relationship with the MC.

I am inclined to agree that most harems on fanfiction can be...absurd, to say the least.

But, I have read stories that did amazing work with harems as well! While they did have some part in relations, the story was still the main focus and the harem did nothing to take away from it.

I haven't decided just yet what I'm doing as far as pairings go, simply because I want time to develop the story, and I don't need romance taking away from it right now. I enjoy a self reliant Naruto, and that's how I want him to be until he reaches the Canon period. So don't worry about the harem taking away from the story.

There may be fluff and sweet moments along the way, but nothing will be solid until a certain point in the story. Just keep in mind that harem is still a possibility as the story progresses, but so are single pairings.

If I do a harem, I won't make it pop out of nowhere, and I will try to make it sensible and believable to a decent extent, without sacrificing the content of this story.

Again, romance won't be happening for quite some time.

 **What is going to be taken from Re: Monster?**

I don't want to say _what_ will be taken until it comes up in the story...but I will say what probably wont be in it.

I may not do the 'gaming element', that tells him the levels and information. I don't think the 'gaming' aspect would fit well into this story, so I wont add it. Maybe I will add something similar, like brief lapses of memory and information he gained from Monty, but by no means will I keep track of levels and other gaming characteristics.

I also wont be doing things day-to-day like Re: Monster did. There are time-skips in this story, so things would be too complicated if I did a daily log of his ventures. (For example: Chapter 1 is Day 1-10)

 **No Bestiality!**

Haha, I can say that the review by **doa570047** made me laugh a bit, just from the context I read it in. Don't worry man, I can say that you won't suffer from seeing such a thing in this story. I'm not very good at lemons anyways. I'll just leave it at that for now.

 **Aura? Semblance? Abilities?! Oh My!**

I will leave his abilities as a mystery, and how they are gained. Everything will be seen in the coming chapters, so bear with me ladies and gents.

Suspense and mystery makes the story more interesting, so I will leave it at that.

 **What kind of Grimm will he be?**

That will be answered this chapter.

As most should have noticed, all Grimm bear a resemblance to animals. Even the new Grimm that was released for volume 4 early, is designed to look like a gorilla.

That being said, this story will have _many_ types of Grimm that don't exist in the original series, because the potential is very wide and can reach very far.

 **You only have two stories dude, bro. Why U no Update Faster?**

I work two jobs: one full-time, one part-time. Both jobs are worked 6 days a week (because I need that overtime bra), so my only free days are Sunday. I do write even on my busy days for like an hour or two, but it just doesn't cover everything I need write about.

Try to understand that I am doing what I can with decent quality, and that can only be done given a good amount of time. I edit and revise my own stuff, so it can be taxing on me. I need to support myself and those close to me above all else, so I hope you guys can sympathize.

That said, I hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, or the Re: Monster Franchise and any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters (if I decide to make any), and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: This Animal I have Become**

 **-83 years before Canon-**

 **Unknown Forest**

Silence.

In an eerie and dark forest, all that could be heard were the sounds of the night.

The leaves would rustle in the wind, and the insects of the evening sang to their content. The forest was lush with trees and wildlife, brightened only by the shattered moon as the rays peaked through the openings between the branches.

Fireflies danced to the tune of nature, and all seemed to be at peace...but there was another sound within this forest that had not existed before.

If one listened closely, they could hear the soft breaths of a slumbering creature who lay in a small patch of grass among the trees.

A beam of the moon shined onto the figure, allowing anyone who stumbled across it, would have seen the figure as clear as day.

It was a small figure, perhaps no larger than a small pup, built with a canine-like body structure. From the back of the figure rested a small, bushy tail that curled around its body, almost as if in protection and preservation.

It's chest rose a fell as it slumbered, adding to the factor of adorability.

Perhaps, this could have once been considered an adorable creature...but it bore certain characteristics that would drive many who were aware of what it _truly_ was, away in fear.

The fur that encompassed the creature was a pitch black, reminiscent of the night without light.

Covering the face of the small creature was a small, white mask with decorative red lines marring the surface. The shape was reminiscent of a fox, and though it did well in covering the skull and snout of the small creature, it did nothing to hide the unnerving fangs that seemed to protrude from its mouth as it slept.

The silence continued, until the body of this 'foxlike' creature began to stir on the grass.

As it began to awaken, an eye revealed itself to be similar to that of a Grimm's...but different in one aspect.

It still maintained the red-yellow, sunset hue of the eye Grimm normally possessed, but it also contained a slit pupil in the center. As to why this Grimm possessed a pupil whether others hadn't...it was uncertain, but this small difference definitely held some significance or some form of importance.

 _This...place is...?_

As the small creature awoke, it began to take in its surroundings, before coming to a conclusion.

 _I see...so Monty sent me here...in the middle of the forest...at night...as a 'technical' newborn into this world...seriously, what the hell?! Are you trying to get me killed?!_

The now revealed Naruto began to seriously curse his luck. So far, he has been transported to several different places, all of which had left him with more questions than answers.

Breaking himself of those thoughts, he thought back to what Monty had said about him being a 'Grimm', rather than a human. As he looked at his current figure he couldn't help but feel...like some practical joke had been played on him.

He wasn't sure what it was...but he was positive that his current form as a fox was a cruel joke that probably had something to do with his tangled memories.

 _I'm starting to feel irritated just looking at this form, but also strangely...happy? Seriously Monty, what the hell?_

Through his inner musings, a ruffle of leaves amongst the bushes could be heard amongst the bushes, breaking Naruto from further contemplation.

Reacting quickly, he jumped back and assumed his best stance in preparation for combat. Unfortunately, he had only just awoken and had yet to become accustomed to this new form of his, causing him to stumble and trip onto the ground.

 _Shit! Why couldn't I be given a body capable of bipedal movement?!_

While Naruto was aware that being a quadrupedal creature was advantageous in speed and maneuverability, it required time to adjust to the change.

Turning his attention back to the bushes, Naruto managed to see several figures appear, all possessing a familiar black appearance to himself.

These creatures were tall in height, and judging by the structure of their body, they were capable of switching between moving on all-fours and on their hind legs.

Their eyes were a familiar shade of sunset, with what appeared to be bones protruding from their arms, legs, and shoulders. A line of spikes could also be seen traveling partway down their spine which only served to make them all the more intimidating.

They exerted a loud howl once they entered the clearing with Naruto, as they cast him a gaze that would be difficult to discern by any human.

Normally, as soon as a Grimm sets their eyes onto a human, all they could feel and sense was malice, hate, and a hunger for their flesh.

...But Naruto was no longer a human.

He was now a _Grimm_ , much like these creatures that now stood before him.

Because of this, he did not feel any hate from them, towards himself. Instead, he was able to sense...confusion?

As crazy as it seemed, Naruto was actually able to understand from a simple gaze that these Grimm in front of him were confused by his presence. Was Naruto a breed of Grimm that is rarely seen? Or were these Grimm able to detect he was 'different' from them?

 _This creature is called...a Beowolf I believe?_ Thought Naruto, drawing upon the supply of information he was gifted to by Monty.

When Monty showed him the forms of the eight key figures of this world, he had also imparted Naruto with some general information about the world of Remnant as well.

If he was going to be expected to live as a Grimm, it was only fair that he possessed knowledge of the different breeds, their position in the world, and various other things.

 _I'll have to review the information I was given later...for now, I wonder what these Grimm are up to?_

As Naruto thought this, the wolf-like Grimm began to stalk around him, sniffing and growing closer. Naruto did not feel the need to attack because he had yet to understand his own body, and the Beowolves didn't seem to show any signs of aggression...yet.

One of the Grimm looked Naruto in the eyes and sent him a low growl.

Even though it wasn't spoken in words, strangely enough, Naruto was able to understand that this Grimm had remarked on how he felt _different_ , but it still understood that he was a Grimm.

While most Grimm weren't intelligent, they still possessed instincts.

This continued on for a few moments, before they pulled away seeing as they weren't able to detect any form of humanity.

Naruto released a breath of relief. He had just been born into this world, so he didn't want to use his first waking moments getting into a fight with his new race. He still needed time to compose himself and reflect on any useful information he might have been given.

Almost suddenly, Naruto was hit with a wave of invisible force.

It wasn't something that affected him on a physical level and caused harm, it was almost as if something had just triggered his senses. He could feel varying waves of negative emotions crawling along his skin, onto the ends of his fur. Sadness, anger, disgust, madness...the list continued, but what was strange was not how dark these thoughts were...it was the fact that Naruto didn't seemed to be bothered by it.

 _Why do I feel...content?_ Naruto had asked himself.

Naruto had yet to truly understand the physiology that came with being a Grimm, as well as their natural instinct. He was but a newborn kit, new to the world of Grimm.

He couldn't understand how such darkness did not seem to affect him...in fact, he seemed to bask in it's embrace, like a fire in the harsh winter. It felt almost comforting as he bathed in its presence.

This both seemed to unnerve him...and excite him.

He wasn't the only one to feel this sensation, however, as he noticed that the Beowolves had turned their head in the same direction he felt the surge of emotions come from.

Almost immediately, they let out a howl and immediately began to charge out of the clearing, towards the direction of malice.

It was a few moments after Naruto watched them leave that he began to trek after them at his own pace, using this time to get familiar with his body.

 _Something is definitely happening over there that was able to catch their attention, and I want to be there to see what,_ he thought as he followed the source of darkness that was set for him.

* * *

 _Damn, those things are pretty quick...and I think I'm finally getting used to moving, so lets try to pick up the pace._

Naruto could be seen moving at a moderate pace, closing in on the feeling he had sensed earlier.

As Naruto drew closer, he could hear varied sounds of explosions, clanging steel, and monstrous grunts up ahead.

Upon hearing this, Naruto's speed died down to a walk, then a crawl as it became louder.

After some time, he hid himself in a bush and peeked through the small network of branches, to come upon a sight that left him in a state of shock.

Before him could be seen a disaster of epic proportions.

What appeared to be a battlefield, looked more like a shit show from the different happenings that was going on.

There were men and women of all sorts battling amongst each other, and against the Grimm.

Hunters and Huntresses could be seen from every direction battling it out with sparks of dust and multiple abilities.

When they weren't battling amongst each other, they were hunted by Grimm that remained in hiding, awaiting the opportunity to hunt down the humans.

In one instance, blood could be seen splattered on the tattered body of one hunter as he beheaded another, with a look of concentrated antagonism and disdain.

In that moment of distraction, a Beowolf had appeared behind him and tore through his remaining aura, gouging out a head's worth of flesh from his neck to his chest, leaving the unfortunate hunter sputtering non-sensical words of anguish and regret until his last breath.

In an act of revenge, a distraught and teary eyed huntress appeared behind the Grimm, splitting its head and ending it's life in a instant. The Grimm had dropped powerlessly, beginning to disappear in a whirl of black dust, as the woman clutched the corpse of what appeared to be someone close to her.

There was not a second that blood had not been spilled, as Grimm of all kinds drove their jaws and claws into the bodies of hunters, basking in the meat as they chewed through muscle and bone.

The humans were no better as they cut each other down mercilessly and without remorse, moving onto one person when they finished another.

Limbs were detached, throats were gashed, skulls were smashed, and bones were ground small fragments.

What Naruto found curious, was that if the bodies were left alone long enough, it began to dissipate into a colored mist of some kind.

He did not think of it much as he continued to watch the continual scenes of horror and bloodshed.

Throughout the war-torn clearing, similar scenes could be seen happening as time passed, with each individual shouting their allegiance.

From what Naruto had gathered from their chants, it seemed to have to do with fighting for 'individualism', while others vouched for 'conservatism' and desired to suppress self-expression in favor of complete unity and control.

Upon hearing all this, something seemed to click in Naruto's head.

 _The Great War,_ he thought to himself from out of the blue.

It seemed that the information he was granted would reveal itself upon discovering them. This view of the war managed to ignite this information, allowing him to understand what exactly was happening.

While Naruto appreciates this, he also couldn't help but feel that this was a bit inconvenient for him.

He was hoping to search out this information in his own time, so that he could be prepared...but if the information only came to him when he witnessed it, he would have to act on the fly, with little to no plan in mind.

Despite this, Naruto only considered it a minor annoyance. If there was something he had remembered about his past life, it was that he was an unpredictable existence, capable of making even the impossible become something within the realms of possibility and reality.

Naruto seemed to have underestimated the range of the battles that were taking place, as a human corpse dropped in front of him, sporting a missing arm and expression of disbelief in his eyes.

The impact of the lifeless body was strong enough to splash a considerable amount of blood across his face.

Instinctually, Naruto licked the parts surrounding his mouth clean of all blood.

At that moment, Naruto's eyes began to glow ominously, as he eyed the corpse now with something more than observation...

It was hunger.

Not a hunger one felt out of necessity, but out of desire.

He _wanted_ to eat, but by no means did he _need_ to.

When was the last time you had heard of a Grimm starving to death?

Grimm were semi-immortal creatures that can not die through age, disease, or starvation.

The only way they can achieve "death", was to be killed directly.

So that begs the question...why did they consume humans? Why did they desire destroy them, and all of their machinations? What bore this deep-seated hatred within them, and where did they come from?

Unfortunately...no one truly knows this answer.

Whatever it was...Naruto felt it.

He felt a whirlwind of desire in his chest, growing in turbulence and chaos as he continued to stare at the bloodied figure before him.

An unknowing growl was exerted from his lips, showing how much he desired to feast on the pulp of bloodied flesh before him.

But after a few moments, the gust of desire slowed to a breeze, as the darkness in his eyes began to disappear, replacing it with one of horror.

 _I...I-I wanted to eat...a human?_ He expressed inwardly in horrified shock.

Naruto was not as much of an idiot as many made him out to be.

He understood clearly the particular _diet_ of Grimms.

He was well aware that humans were the Grimm's favorite thing to snack on...but he felt that it was something he could resist. As an immortal-like creature, he didn't even need to eat!

He was not aware, however, that Grimm were so...primal. There was almost no reasoning behind it, he just felt the natural urge to _devour_.

If Naruto was not conscious of his actions...he would have surely eaten the corpse in its entirety.

 _I...I need to get away from here! I can't be around...this!_ He thought.

He feared that if he stayed any longer...he would commit an act he wouldn't be capable of taking back. While he was no longer human, he still wasn't capable of treating humans as a source of food.

Turning away from the slowly dying sounds of the battlefield, Naruto dashed out of the clearing to...anywhere that wasn't there.

* * *

It would be hours before Naruto finally came to a stop. Strangely, he didn't feel very winded.

Then again, Grimm weren't exactly built the same way humans were.

Was there even a concept of stamina for them?

Right now, Naruto could be seen panting, but it wasn't out of exhaustion...he was still suffering from the aftereffects of his momentary lapse of hunger.

 _Ugh...I do NOT...want to feel that way...again,_ he thought between breaths, _It was like I lost all reason and acted without thought!_

This is what unnerved him the most.

Don't get him wrong. He still found the act of eating humans appalling, and was less than content about being reborn into a time of war, but it was not something he wasn't already prepared for.

In his world, war was commonplace, with acts of cruelty being _more_ than just a possibility…he still didn't understand why he had an aversion to snakes, but he figured it had something to do with his past.

What made Naruto different from the other Grimm was his humanity...well, internal humanity. This meant that he still _thought_ like a human, but was simply in the body of a Grimm.

 _I have to find an alternative...maybe I can eat something else?_

The clearing he was now in was a lot larger than where he initially spawned, with a small pond in the center with various creatures in the surroundings.

He could see various animals like deers, birds, squirrels, and there were even a couple of Boarbatusks; one had a fractured tusk, while the other had both in tact.

He cast his gaze toward an injured deer, and found his target.

 _Sorry deer...but this is the circle of life._

With that thought, Naruto crept around the deer, somehow escaping its senses.

 _This is strange,_ thought Naruto, _Deer are particularly sensitive to things around them...so why is it acting like it doesn't even acknowledge me?_

Naruto shook these thoughts from his head before continuing his hunt. He wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. If the deer wasn't going to make it difficult for him...he wont question why. He'll just send his regards to Oum-all-mighty.

 _In Oum, I trust_ , Naruto prayed lightly for his harvest.

Within a second, Naruto pounced onto the deer, that still hadn't reacted until Naruto dug his claws into it's neck.

The death came instant, but the cries of the dying deer were enough to send the other animals scattering in fear.

The only other creatures that stayed behind were the two Boarbatusks that gave him a look that said 'What the actual fuck?'

Their confusion was rightfully understood. Grimm were not known to attack animals, so they only looked at Naruto as if he was an idiot.

Grimm were not _completely_ mindless. There have been cases where Grimm that have lived for so long, they develop some form of intelligence through experience, which is more notably seen in mammoth-like Grimm called Goliaths.

Judging by how these Grimm were able to express sentience to some extent, they must be fairly aged.

 _Hmph...stupid hogs...they don't understand what I'm trying to do here,_ Naruto defended himself internally. He _refused_ to be looked down on by a couple of pig-Grimm. He was a Fox!

Well...a kit Grimm technically, being newly spawned and all...but Still! Foxes were higher on the food chain in his mind.

Naruto turned to the carcass before him and thought, _hmm...I should probably cook this...raw meat never tastes good..._

Within his plethora of Ninja skills he had yet to sort through, he recalled that starting a fire with twigs and sparking rocks was a viable option.

It took about an hour before he managed to light a fire...what? You try lighting a fire with only paws!

As Naruto continued to roast the deer over the fire...he noticed that he was _still_ being watched by the two Boarbatusks on the side.

Naruto turned to the pig-Grimm with an annoyed glare, and released a series of yips that translated into, _"What? You guys got a problem?!"_

Not intimidated by the yelps of a baby Grimm, the Boarbatusks just looked away nonchalantly...as if they heard nothing...pretending they weren't observing the strange foxy Grimm just seconds ago.

If Naruto still possessed a brow, it would no doubt be twitching in irritation at the actions of the boars.

 _Those bastards probably think they're funny...whatever, I've got a deer to eat._

Noticing that the deer was finally cooked, Naruto licked his lips, more out of muscle memory than actual hunger.

 _Itadakimas-_ Naruto began as he chomped into the meat of the deer...before he felt a strange sensation.

As soon as he bit into the deer, one thought surged through his mind...

 _Disgusting._

Almost immediately, Naruto hurled the deer meat and a black sludge-like substance, which he assumed to be his vomit.

The strange thing is...the taste of disgust would not disappear.

He continued to heave, but that taste wouldn't go away!

It was rancid beyond belief, making decayed, diseased, maggot infested meat seem more appetizing.

He could _feel_ his body burning in rejection, aching in slight pain and curling in resistance.

The ends of his hairs stood on end, and a black mist was being emitted from his mouth.

It was a long while before Naruto could finally regain himself.

 _Fuck...I can't eat deer meat? Was that deer diseased? The fuck is going on?!_ He hollered in anger to himself. How was it that he couldn't resist the scent of raw human flesh and blood...but a well cooked deer could be so...so terrible!

It just didn't make any sense.

He was broken from these thoughts when he heard loud snorts in what seemed to be...amusement?

He turned his head to the side...and immediately flared in anger.

To the side, were the Boarbatusks...seemingly snorting at Naruto's stupidity.

These boars were capable of expressing amusement? Okay...that makes them older than he thought...

Regardless of their age...Naruto was pissed.

Yelping in anger, he said, _"You bastards! I'm gonna come over there and kick your collective, fat asses!"_

Feeling the negativity in the tones of his yelps, the two Grimm responded to the challenge with grunts of their own.

Grimm were not known for killing each other, but there were disputes.

Whether this be because of territory, food (humans), or antagonism between different types of Grimm, conflicts did arise. They were still animals in appearance, so their antagonism most likely stemmed from that nature.

The two boars charged towards Naruto at a speed normal humans would find intimidating, but that was more like child's play to Naruto.

Even if he was in an unfamiliar body, the Grimm before him did not possess the size and strength in comparison to some of the other races of Grimm out there.

Even if they possessed some level of sentience, it did not mean there skill set was any different from an average Boarbatusk. It just meant that they knew how to use it better.

Boarbatusks were straightforward in nature, and struck head-on. Their hides and skulls made it extremely difficult to penetrate, and their tusks were sharp enough to inflict a good amount of damage towards anyone who utilized aura.

As they drew close to Naruto, he jumped over their heads with great agility, and leapt after them in response.

The first to turn around was the boar with a fractured tusk, ready to impale Naruto with the one still intact.

 _Predictable,_ he thought before latching onto said tusk with his claws.

He then swung his body around it, using the momentum of the rotation to flip the Boarbatusk onto its back, leaving its stomach exposed.

Seeing the state of it's companion, the other boar charged with a loud grunt in fury towards Naruto.

 _Seriously...are all Grimm this simple minded?_

Naruto wrapped his tail around the fractured tusk of the fallen Grimm, and lifted it's exposed belly towards the charging boar.

The result was an impact between fellow Grimm, as Naruto dived to the side at the last second, and charged once more to the pig-Grimm.

Naruto took the brief lapse of time away from the boars to review his body structure.

 _Despite my small size, I was still able to pick up that fat boar...I guess all Grimm possess unnatural strength...but I wonder what the limits are?_

He decided to think on it later, as he had some pigs to take care of at the moment.

The Boarbatusks were given no time to regain their bearings as Naruto slammed his shielded skull against the exposed side of one hog.

He then spun, using the momentum of his rotation to uppercut the other boar with his tail, sending it into the air before it came tumbling down in defeat.

Naruto then adopted a stance of dominance and haughtiness before yipping, _"Never underestimate Naruto Uzumaki, bastards!"_

Seeing the defeated appearance of the Boarbatusks, who seemed to have acknowledged their defeat, Naruto gave a nod of his head and turned to walk...trot...well, whatever you call movement with four legs, back into the forest.

 _There has to be_ _ **something**_ _I can eat here...but what?_

Naruto was truly troubled by this predicament...He needed to find some alternative to satisfy his natural instincts, but he was unsure on what he could possibly do.

 _I'll just have to keep experimenting with different animals...there's no way that the only option is to eat humans...right?_

Naruto was very unsure. While he would like to hope so, there was nothing within the knowledge he gained from Monty that said otherwise.

It was after several minutes of him being deep in thought that he heard a rustling from behind him.

 _Those two...what do they want now?_

When Naruto turned...he saw the same two Boarbatusks he had fought with earlier appear before him.

He was aware that he was being followed by them...but he prayed to Oum it was just a coincidence, and they just happened to head in his direction.

Unfortunately, Naruto was never lucky when it came to situations like this.

 _"What do you hogs want? Another ass kicking?"_ Naruto yelped in slight annoyance.

The said hogs merely looked at Naruto, and released a snort that Naruto found quite troubling...

Because they seemed to say something along the lines of, 'Boss!' Or 'Aniki!'

Again...if Naruto had a brow, it would no doubt be twitching at the current circumstances.

 _Seriously...I kick their asses once, and now I'm like their gang leader? Am I collecting monsters now?! This isn't fucking Pokemon!...and what the fuck is Pokemon?!_ Naruto thought angrily, also dropping a reference he himself didn't seem to understand.

It seemed Monty gave him knowledge outside of just pertaining to Remnant and this dimension...not that Naruto knew any better.

Seriously...why was he given knowledge that had nothing to do with his survival?

Naruto shook his head of these thoughts and simply stared at the boar-like Grimm.

He just...looked at them.

They looked back at him.

He looked at them.

They looked back at him.

…

…

…

 _This is...making me uncomfortable..._ He thought to himself.

Realizing they were not going to leave anytime soon, Naruto let a huff of annoyance escape his mouth as he yipped, _"Fine! You guys can come along...though, I should probably give you names...it's annoying if I don't have a way to identify you. Calling you guys hogs all the time can get annoying..."_

Naruto thought for a moment...before two names appeared in his mind. He didn't know why they popped up, and they sure as hell sounded stupid...but he felt like it had something to do with Monty throwing them in there.

 _"Alright,"_ He yipped once again, _"Broken Tusk will be Gordy...and you will be Pumbaa...How's that?"_

His only response was a grunt, which he assumed was both indifference and acknowledgement at the names they were given.

Naruto just shook his head as he turned to walk away once again, with two new creatures in tow.

* * *

 **-3 Months Later-**

Tortured and tormented.

He felt a weakness in his body.

It felt like he was deteriorating inside, slowly being consumed by the shadows of insanity.

He thirsted for blood and starved for human meat.

His eyes glazed over with primal rage and desperation, reminiscent of the average, wild Grimm of this world.

Through these past three months, Naruto had searched relentlessly and tirelessly for some sort of solution to his problem regarding humans and his desire to consume them.

Naruto had tried a number of different things. There wasn't an animal in the forest he had not tried to eat, there was no plant that looked edible that escaped his taste, and he had even tried some things that weren't edible in a last ditch effort to preserve his humanity. But they all ended up the same way...regurgitated.

No matter how sick he became as a result, he tried and tried again.

The Boarbatusks that joined him only looked at him in confusion while he did this.

By instinct, all Grimm do not have any sort of desire towards animals and life that were not human, so Naruto's actions were baffling to say the least.

Of course, no worry was present in their eyes. These were still creatures of Grimm. They did not have a soul, and compassion was non-existent.

Sentience and souls are a concept often confused and misconstrued.

They were not the same thing, yet others always tied the two together.

Most people seem to believe that you can only be sentient when you have a soul...but again, how does that explain the existence of Grimm then?

Grimm have been established as the only beings that do not possess a soul, but are they not capable of thought? Are they not able to feel negative emotion? Do they not learn over the passage of time?

They are capable of _all_ these things.

Grimm at times lie in wait for their prey, and strike when the victim is most vulnerable...this requires thought.

Grimm are able to sense the change of negative emotions, whether it be malice, despair, or various other things, and move towards the source...this requires feeling.

Grimm like the Goliaths that have lived for centuries, or perhaps even longer, have learned that by attacking hunters aggressively, they would in turn be hunted down. Instead, they choose to wait...This requires experience and the ability to learn.

So what is the answer when it is asked if Grimm possess sentience?

It is yes.

They may not possess a soul, but they are, undoubtedly, sentient creatures. They are underestimated by the humans and looked down on as being nothing more than mindless beasts; monsters of nature meant only for the destruction of the human race.

Naruto had stumbled upon a little secret regarding the Grimm during his time spent with the Boarbatusks, as well as his experience as becoming one.

The Grimm are typically docile.

Yes, there are disputes at times...but he still has yet to see one Grimm kill another.

In fact, when he found himself comparing Grimm and humans...he felt that Grimm were perhaps _better_ than humans in some aspects.

Naruto was a man who experienced a world-shattering war before. He may not remember much of it, but he knew enough to know the chaos and bloodshed it wrought. Memories were one thing...but _feeling_ was something that was difficult to escape.

How was it that the creatures of Grimm were capable of peace amongst their own race, yet humans continued to fight amongst themselves over trivial things?

From all the fields of battle during this _Great War_ Naruto had come across since coming to this world...blood and bodies littered the grass, and scars of battle could be seen amongst the shattered trees and gouged earth.

Skin was flayed and bones were scattered before they eventually dissipated.

Even if the bodies disappeared, the aftermath would remain.

How many families had been left broken as a result of war?

How many fathers were lost? Mothers? Brothers? Sisters? Sons and daughters?

The list went on, and the knowledge of this truth only served to make Naruto furious at mankind…was there no concept of peace in _any_ of these dimensions?

Will all worlds suffer from the hate and disdain of others?

How much blood was needed to be shed, before humanity would begin to understand the repercussions of destruction?

He had yet to see a peaceful moment between them.

Naruto could only feel...disappointed.

Between the Grim and humans...he was slowly finding it harder to see who were more sinister in nature.

This takes us back to Naruto's recent discovery about Grimm being 'docile' under normal circumstances. He had stumbled upon it due to his own experience, and if someone heard him say that Grimm could be 'docile, he would no doubt be turned in to an insane asylum.

This 'docile' nature of theirs only changed under certain reasons...

Instinct. Insanity. Madness.

As soon as a Grimm felt any sort of darkness, sensed another human, or even one of their creations...they went mad.

No...perhaps mad didn't fully describe how Grimm acted.

Something was driving them to _do_ the things they did...but what that was, was uncertain.

Naruto just felt this unceasing desire to devour the life of mankind.

The more he resisted, the stronger his instinct became.

The madness grew to levels beyond what he figured was possible. It was like an incessant knocking on the door, that grew louder and louder the more he waited. His irritation would continue to grow and his resistance would begin to dwindle, until he opened that door and all hell broke loose.

Somehow, he knew...the more he waited, the greater the repercussions would be.

It was then he came to realize what Monty had meant when he first talked with Naruto about becoming a Grimm.

 _'You will be forced to do things you never even had_ _ **nightmares**_ _of doing'...He also said I may not come out the same person I went in as,_ he mused in deep thought.

 _I think...I understand what he was talking about. There...is no other option. I chose to become a Grimm. There is_ _ **always**_ _a price to pay for miracles..._

And with a vengeance, his bout with insanity had returned once more.

The cause was a strong source of malice and death from a clearing ahead.

 _GAH!...this pain...this desire...it is unreal. I...need...to go there._

Naruto sprinted towards the direction where he felt the battle was occurring, with the Boarbatusks following in tow.

It took only a few minutes before Naruto came across the bloodied clearing. Where there was blood, death always followed.

This was further evidenced by the lifeless husks of hunters and huntresses he saw across the field.

 _It seems the battle ended quicker than usual..._

As he looked at the bodies, his head began to throb and his limbs began to tremble.

He struggled to resist against these urges; his humanity was at war with his temptation to eat.

His pig-Grimm companions had no such reservations toward consuming humans, and typically ate without concern for their 'Boss.'

However...they could feel that today was different.

They sensed that Naruto was acting stranger than usual, and noticed how he slowly began to stalk his way toward the remains of a lifeless hunter.

Because of the 'difference' they were able to sense...they opted to wait.

Grimm tended to travel in groups, and with all groups, there was an Alpha.

While Naruto had shown to be different from other Grimm, his might and position was proven the day these boars were driven to submission.

As Naruto grew closer to the corpse, his thoughts were raging with many things.

Hesitation.

Confusion.

Frustration.

Resolution.

These thoughts were all gathered together, creating a hurricane of disharmony deep within the reaches of his soul.

This madness...it would continue to eat him alive until he could no longer prolong it. After that, he would be no better than other mindless Grimm.

 _'You will go through hardships and changes in your life, some greater than the pain you may have experienced in your previous world',_ Naruto recollected the words of Monty.

 _I've...felt a lot of physical and emotional pain in my life...I don't know exactly everything, but I know it hurt...but this may be one of the hardest things I've ever experienced..._

There were many things Naruto had cherished throughout his life...

His friends, his nindo, his village...but all of that came to be, because of his character.

It was who Naruto _was,_ his character, his philosophy, that made him who he was and allowed him to come to love others despite experiencing his own darkness.

And now, Naruto was forced to breakdown his character some, in order to adapt to the changes of the world...but let it be known that Naruto will _always_ be a hard-headed ninja with a relentless will.

He knew that fighting against it would do more harm than good...but that didn't mean he couldn't _control_ it.

It was a long internal struggle that seemed to last for hours, but after some time...he made up his mind.

 _It hurts...knowing I will be eating a race I used to be...but I wont let this control me...I will only consume the dead, or those that deserve retribution...I_ _ **refuse**_ _to become a monster that destroys everything in its path! I_ _ **will**_ _have control over my actions, and not let my body control me!_

After finally reaching the corpse, he slowly brought his face to the exposed torso of the hunter.

 _I will learn the truth about Grimm...I will discover our strength, our potential, and our reason for existence..._

A glint of determination could be seen in his slit pupils as he opened his mouth, revealing his fangs to the exposed flesh before him.

 _I will survive, and change this fucked up world, if my name isn't Naruto Uzumaki! And if there's one thing I keep..._

With a final growl as he bit into the bloody skin, tearing out the meat and muscle and marring the bone inside, Naruto began to feel a wave of slight relief as he continued to ingest the ground mess of bones and flesh.

 _It's a promise!_

With newborn acceptance of who he was, Naruto continued to bask in the remains of the deceased, slowly erasing the madness that had once consumed him.

His determination and will were not the only things that grew that day.

As he continued to satiate his appetite, his body grew to that of a normal, young fox with bone plating along the upper part of his fore and hind legs.

His mask became a bit more intricate in design and intimidating in structure.

And dancing behind him in wild, excited fervor was a sight that would no doubt shock him if he had any memory of his former tenant and what had made him famous…

Another tail.

* * *

 **A/N:** That is all for this Chapter!

This marks the beginning of Naruto's life as a Grimm.

He was spawned during the time of the _Great War_ , and since most things are still a mystery regarding the war, I will be making my own stuff. I already have the next 10 chapters planned, and even more ideas for my later chapters, but it will be a while before I can write them out.

My Grimm theory may be slightly different from the original, with some extra stuff added in there, but that is because it is going to be a plot point for the future.

If you find it hard to believe that Naruto is all of a sudden 'okay' with eating humans...well, technically it wasn't 'all-of-a sudden.' I made a time skip, mentioning how Naruto tried almost _every_ alternative instead of humans. While this was happening, he could tell that as he prolonged it, he would become a mindless Grimm. In essence: He chose to control his actions, rather than become a mindless creature that ate everything in its path. He knew if he didn't, he would be doing _more_ harm. So, he sacrificed his morals for the good of the future.

If that is still hard to believe...Then...oh well I guess? Perhaps my stuff in the future will make up for it. I spent a lot of time creating my own theory on Grimm. By no means is it correct (it could be, though!), I'm just creating a theory that others may find entertaining, so don't rely on my logic for the original **RWBY** show.

And you're probably asking yourself... **why Boarbatusks out of all the Grimm?!**...because they are the most unassuming type and less serious. I feel like I can have fun with them.

That being said, I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be...at some point? Can't make any promises guys. I have a karate tournament to prepare for, and I will be on vacation majority of this month, plus I have a deadline for **NaruKami** at the end of the month, so we shall see! I am enjoying writing this story so far, but again, this story is still in the  trial phase.

Leave Reviews, comments, or questions if you have any! I accept both Critical (without bias) and supportive stuff! And I won't answer any question that can be considered a spoiler...so don't bother asking, for I shall not answer!

~Stay cool, but don't Freeze


	3. Tempered through Time

**WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **UPDATE 2/4/2017:** I will be posting another chapter sometime next week!

That said, I appreciate the comments and criticism I received. Most were unbiased and supported, which I appreciated. The more unsavory comments were noted if they proved to be productive to my work (ignoring the more biting commentary). I appreciate anything that could help and isn't really based on just personal preference.

I'm still building up the story, so be patient with me! I'm also keeping things vague so I have room to change things, in case **RWBY** tries to pull one over on me and surprise me with any new revelations. This new volume was a part of the reason why this chapter took so long, since I decided to change somethings to fit the new material.

 **About the Harem/Pairings**

In any case, I won't be talking about the harem or pairings anymore...simply because I never stated if there would be a harem or not, and some weren't too happy that I booted Ruby and Weiss from the pairings. My mind is subject to change with the progression of the story guys, so anything is possible. Everything is still up in the air, and I'll worry more about it once I get to the point that romance can begin. For now, I'll just continue with the story. I will give you guys an estimate that romance probably won't begin for another **20+ chapters.** Nothing romantic will happen during my first two Arcs. Maybe something will start in the third, and the fourth is when I _really_ plan to pick things up.

Sorry for not getting to reviews and questions, but I'm busy with a new job that I love doing as much as I love writing, so I will be pretty busy.

 **Release Schedule: NaruKami** is still my priority, so its release will come first...unless I am in the zone with this story. Since Volume 4 came out, I wanted to wait until the end before writing another chapter. But seeing your feedback and support, I came out with this!

I'm glad so many of you enjoy it so far, so I may write another chapter or two even as volume 4 goes on.

Keep in mind that **Re: Grimm** chapters will more than likely be shorter than my other story (2000-5000 words) unless I am on fire while writing.

Thanks for the support, and I hope you enjoy!

"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech

 _In Oum I Trust-_ \- Normal thought

 _"In Oum I Trust"_ \- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

*Sigh*- Action

In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance

 **"In Oum I Trust"** \- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech

 _ **In Oum I Trust**_ _-_ Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought

 _ **"In Oum I Trust"**_ \- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Tempered through Time**

 **-82 years before Canon-**

Grimm...

A wonder of the world...or a nightmare?

For as long as humanity has existed, the Grimm have been around.

Yet after so many years, little is known about Grimm other than the fundamentals to survive.

Through time, man and faunus kind studied their weaknesses and behaviors, discovered their varieties, and calculated the threat levels of Grimm.

Strides have been made in Grimm countermeasures; development in dust and weaponry only seemed to evolve with every generation of hunters and huntresses.

There has been research in the past, and there were sure to be more in the future...but humanity still struggles to crack the truth on the origins of Grimm-kind.

It became universally accepted by the world of Remnant that they were forces of nature, acting against humanity.

Then that begs the question...why does nature deem humanity to be a threat?

Philosophers believed that nature deem humanity was polluting the world with war, destruction, and chaos. Humanity was seen as disease; that humanity was a virus that can only harm the natural splendor of the world and nature.

That all this was a desperate act by mother nature to preserve the remnants of a slowly, dying world.

Out of fear and more pressing concerns, this seemed to be the widespread belief amongst all Remnant's inhabitants.

But doesn't that seem so...superficial?

Take humans for example.

They seem to be simple creatures on the surface...but their bodies hold many mysteries, and are far more complex than meets the eye.

They can feel emotions.

They can make decisions.

They can use a power that can bend even the laws of physics.

Their bodies are functioned by organs, nerves, and muscles that act as the cogs to a complex, fleshy machine, known as the body.

There is so much more to humanity than they realize, to the extent that humans don't even fully understand themselves.

So, who is humanity to decide what Grimm are, what they're like, and where they came from?

Because Grimm were deemed unintelligent, humanity took it upon themselves to decide the _truth_ of their existence, and labeled them whatever they wanted.

Naruto, however, didn't see things in the same light.

 _If you were never a Grimm, how can you claim to know them?_ He thought.

Naruto is special, in the way that he can now fully decipher what Grimm truly were because he lives amongst them.

He can relate to them because his biology is the same. He retains the same urges all Grimm have, and has a connection to the mindset of Grimm.

He found that Grimm can, in fact, communicate with each other. This was discovered shortly after he ate his first human, and finally put his focus onto things outside of his survival and resisting his natural urges.

There wasn't really a language they shared. Rather, there just seemed to be some sort of instinctual link that made it easy for them to understand each other; something akin to telepathy that allowed each other a basic understanding of their feelings towards something.

And when their mind wasn't clouded over due to surrounding negative emotions and instincts, they could communicate normally, though it was usually at a toddler-like level.

It was through this discovery Naruto finally found a purpose for himself in life.

 _Oum mentioned that there were more to Grimm than meets the eye,_ he mused before looking at his companions that have been by his side for the past year.

The boarbatusks, Pumbaa and Gordy, could be seen testing each other's strength in the distance by butting heads in the clearing, while Naruto was lazily resting in a tree above them. Naruto always found it entertaining to watch them fight with each other. For one, it made the dull days that went by more lively; or another, it kept them from bothering him so often.

 _...and I want to find out what that is. If I can learn more about them,_ he paused as he lifted his tails in front of him to take in their bushy appearance, _then I can learn more about myself._

The biggest reason for Naruto's new purpose in understanding Grimm was because he himself seemed to have evolved in a way that was difficult to ignore. After consuming his first human, he felt stronger, faster, slightly larger, and had gained an additional tail.

From the general knowledge he received from Oum, he never knew there was such a phenomenon outside of transforming into an Alpha Grimm.

But Naruto had a feeling his transformation wasn't the same. He was much too small to be considered an Alpha. And though he is very capable when in confrontation due to his unnatural speed and finesse in combat, that was mainly due to him possessing a far greater intelligence and experience for fighting, not because of the evolution itself.

Over the past year, he continued to feast on the corpses of hunters and huntresses who had fallen due to the war, but there were only slight changes since his evolution. He would only gain minor improvements in dexterity, strength, and control of his body.

After he crossed the line by eating a human, it became easier to do as time progressed. He was still resistant the next few times, but he came to understand that this is his life now, and he can't do anything to change this…for now.

He understood that he would rather control his diet, than become a mindless beast who devours every little thing in its path. This is the reason he only feeds on those who are already dead.

*Slam* *Slam*

Broken from his thoughts, Naruto began to feel the tree he was resting on begin to shake a bit. Not so much to make him fall, but enough to catch his attention at the very least.

He looked down at the source with narrowed eyes and saw Pumbaa and Gordy giving him a look that said, "Let's play!"

Naruto yipped in annoyance, _"This is our first break in weeks! Let me relax a little."_

He then waved his front paw in a shooing motion, _"If you want to play, do what you were doing before."_

Naruto wasn't sure why he stuck around with these hogs for so long. Although they do provide some entertainment, they also come with an equal amount of annoyance. It kind of cancels the good out with the bad.

*Snort* *Snort*

 _"What does it look like? I'm trying to nap!"_

*Snort...*

 _"I know I don't need to sleep. It just feels nice to close my eyes."_

*Snort!* *Snort!* *Snort!*

 _"Where did you learn to say that?!"_

*Snort...*

 _"Ah...Right...me..."_

This battle between yips and snorts continued for some time, until Naruto finally caved in to their vigor. It was always this way since they first met.

The boars loved to fight each other, but enjoyed it even more with Naruto. He fought by moving around and intelligently using his body in acrobatic ways that required skill and finesse that Grimm were generally incapable of. In short, Naruto was a challenge they wanted to overcome.

To the Boarbatusks, it was considered play time...but for Naruto, it was training.

It took some time getting used to his body, especially after he gained a larger one and an additional tail, but the boars helped him refine his movement. This was another one of those reasons why he appreciated having them around. They certainly knew how to provide a decent warm-up.

Naruto leaped down from the tree and landed behind the boar and yipped, _"*Sigh* Fine, fine...go ahead, show me what you got."_

With his confirmation, both boars released a grunt in response, of what seemed to be...excitement?

 _Strange...now that I think about it, these guys are definitely different since we first met,_ he thought.

 _The way they express themselves have become much clearer than before, and I can understand their snorts a little better now as well...I wonder what changed?_

Naruto wasn't given much time to contemplate however, as Gordy was the first to tackle towards him.

 _Haah~, he's attacking the same exact way we first met,_ thought Naruto with hints of disappointment welling within, _but I guess that's to be expected I suppose._

As Naruto had said, Gordy was attacking him the same exact way he did during their first encounter. He couldn't really blame them for this, though. Grimm were generally simple creatures to begin with, and the Boarbatusks were even more so. Their bodies were designed for charging and frontal assaults, so there was a limit to what they could actually do.

Already having experienced this same attack pattern before, Naruto reached out his claws for his tusk, and proceeded to spin him like he had done once before. He hoped they would learn their lesson this time, but he didn't have high expectations.

After a couple of spins, Naruto tossed Gordy to the side, slamming him into a nearby tree.

At least…that is what he _thought_ would happen.

Whilst in the air, Gordy seemed to shift his weight forward, making him spin in a rapid manner that broke the momentum of the throw.

He continued to spin when he touched down onto the ground, and proceeded to wheel around for another, more powerful, charge.

Meanwhile, Naruto stood still in surprise as he contemplated what had just happened.

 _Did he just…use me?_

From Naruto's perspective, Gordy baited Naruto into doing the same move he had done before by acting stupid.

He used Naruto's move to give him a faster rotation for his rollout charge that Boarbatusks are known for.

Naruto's eyes narrowed at the boar that was closing in on him with gaining speed, _either he has incredible instinct…or his intellect is increasing. How can that be possible for Grimm within a year?_

Naruto's perspective of Grimm continued to grow more and more mysterious. It seemed like with every discovery came infinite questions.

Despite this curveball technique that Gordy pulled off, it only managed to surprise Naruto, not catch him off guard. He was well versed in combat, and has gotten into some territorial disputes with several Grimm throughout the year, so the difference between him and the boars were still significant.

When Gordy was only a few inches away, he jumped above him onto another tree and observed what he was planning to do next.

Wheeling around once more, Gordy charged again to the tree Naruto was in.

During his charge, Pumbaa had come along at some point and adopted a low stance in front of the tree, with his tusks low and facing the charging Gordy.

Naruto tilted his head in confusion, _what are they-_

Naruto then paused before he reached a conclusion that widened his eyes once more in shock.

 _Seriously?!_

This was Naruto's thought as he saw Gordy charge onto Pumbaa's tusks, where the hog was then launched towards the foxy Grimm like a catapult.

Naruto swiftly leapt back to the ground as Gordy tore through the tree he was on previously like it was paper.

 _This isn't instinct,_ Naruto concluded, _they are learning at a MUCH faster rate than the average Grimm should._

Perhaps the previous move could have been played off as survival instinct and natural reaction, but the fact that the two Grimm worked together to create a catapult?

That was _strategy_.

Naruto grinned mischievously as he watched the boars begin their next assault, _things are starting to get interesting…_

* * *

Despite their growing intelligence, it still wasn't at a level that would make Naruto take them seriously. He easily put them in their place…again.

The crew of one fox and two Boarbatusks could now be seen traveling through the forest

*Snort* *Snort*

" _Yeah, I'm actually still a bit surprised. You guys impressed me."_

*Snort of pride*

" _Hah! You cocky hogs. What're you so proud for? I still kicked your asses._ " Naruto yipped in a laugh. He couldn't let them get swelled heads and become cocky, because that could cost them in the future.

*Snort…*

Naruto rolled his eyes, _"Mean? I'm surprised you guys still know what that word means. I just taught you last week!"_

As Naruto just said, he had been training Pumbaa and Gordy to understand what certain words mean, and how to speak in a way like himself. While Naruto wouldn't admit it, he _did_ start to feel a bit lonely. He wanted to have someone he could talk to that didn't require sounds.

" _Come back and complain when you guys can communicate something other than snorts through our link."_

This sort of banter continued as they tread on until a familiar wave of negativity passed through them.

At the feeling, the Boarbatusks immediately adopted an aggressive countenance, but did little to move from their position.

Throughout the time that they spent with Naruto, they clearly understood who was the Alpha of the group. While Naruto was still smaller than them in size, he proved time and time again that he was superior in every way.

They refused to move without the ok from their boss.

 _It's close,_ thought Naruto as he picked up on the location of the negative sensation.

Naruto's slit eyes narrowed as he looked in the direction of this negative feeling. His control over his urges back then is nothing in comparison to what it is now. With Naruto's regulated diet, it's rare to see him in an unreasonable state of starvation and lose himself to his instincts.

From the direction of negativity, he could here cries of agony and pleas for help in the distance as a hulking roar silenced them with monstrous steps that shook the ground even Naruto was standing on. To feel the earth quake from its steps, even at this distance, Naruto couldn't help but be shocked.

 _Whatever that Grimm is, its big._

Perhaps in another world, Naruto may have played the role as a hero and saved those desperate hunters and huntresses from death. But Naruto understood now that the world isn't such a kind place.

The humans hunted Grimm, and the Grimm destroyed the humans. Even if he himself never went to hunt humans himself, it didn't mean he would stop other Grimm from doing so. And he was sure that humans would kill him without any regrets.

This was just the way the world worked. He was only a single fox Grimm, something like this was outside of his power and control to handle.

He shook his head, _Besides, those guys were asking for it._

Being a Grimm with intellect, Naruto could do something no other Grimm could. Normal Grimm were only capable of sensing if there was a lot of negativity, or a little.

But because he had emotions of his own, he could differentiate the feelings of negativity from one another. He could sense the intentions of those feelings, whether it be lust, murder, anger, depression, and more.

From what he felt, those hunters/huntresses were very intent on hunting the monstrous Grimm in the distance, but it seemed they overestimated their own capabilities.

 _If you are prepared to hunt, prepare to be hunted yourselves._

It was a dog-eat-dog world in Remnant, something Naruto understood very clearly. Then again, what world isn't like this nowadays?

Naruto remained steady for what seemed like a half an hour, before the screams and stomping in the distance became mute.

It was then he gave a nod to the hogs, _"Let's check it out guys."_

*Snort!*

*Snort!*

It took only a few moments before they arrived at a small clearance in the area. At least, it _would_ have been considered a small clearing if it weren't for the decimated bodies that littered the ground around them, as well as the toppled trees and minced bushes.

Limbs and bodies could be seen bent and broken at sickening angles.

The surrounding trees were bulldozed over, dressed with thrashed bodies and drenched blood.

There was not a body that could be seen which hadn't been ground or crushed.

It was a brutal sight.

 _This was a Grimm attack for sure, but what kind of Grimm is this capable?_ Thought Naruto as he took in his surroundings, before spotting the appearance of a _very_ large figure.

Its size was towering, as it held the mangled body of what appeared to be a hunter's corpse, with a dark trunk. It seemed to be taking its time as it chewed the head of the hunter.

Its skull was protected with bone plating, reminiscent of his own, and two large tusks protruding outwardly in a threatening manner. Its back were covered in spines like a porcupine, and had some bone plating covering its legs.

 _Goliath_ , concluded Naruto as he continued to watch the hulking Grimm casually indulge himself with the corpses of his prey. Naruto couldn't help but notice that this Grimm was two times bigger than the average Goliath and had a unique red tint dyed to the ends of its tusks. Its trunk also seemed to have rings of bone plating, something other Goliaths did not have. It also had scars that littered its body and mask, which attested to how old this grim truly was, and its dominating presence seemed to make Gordy and Pumbaa shake more than a bit.

 _This is the presence of an Alpha,_ Naruto thought as he took in this imposing figure of a Grimm.

Noticing that it wasn't alone, the Goliath took a glance towards the new arrival of Grimm.

It sent a bored gaze towards the Boarbatusks that shivered under its presence, but paused once it caught sight of a young kit that seemed perfectly fine to be standing before a Grimm that absolutely towered over its figure.

Naruto became wary as the Goliath proceeded to tread towards him slowly, with undeterred focus and a daunting gaze.

Once the Goliath was close, it dropped the corpse that was held in his trunk and began to…sniff him.

 _What is it trying to do?_ Naruto mused. He was a bit uncomfortable seeing how much attention this giant Grimm was giving him.

Nevertheless, he did nothing to impede his actions. Naruto could not feel any ill intent coming from it, only a powerful sense of curiosity.

 _Strange,_ Naruto reflected, _Those Beowolves I first met did something similar when we first met. Am I a rare Grimm?_

This wasn't the first time he had gained this sort of attention, but the most he received was a passing gaze after his first encounter.

After a few moments, the Goliath's trunk pulled away, while keeping Naruto in his sight.

" _You...Strange…"_ It communicated through the link.

Naruto was taken aback when he heard the Grimm speak through the link, _"You can speak?"_

After spending so much time with the boars, he was starting to think that only he could speak clearly through the link between Grimm. It was a pleasant surprise to him, since his only interaction had been with snorts. Even though it spoke pretty slowly, and in broken sentences, this was still a nice change of pace.

The Goliath slowly nodded his head and responded, _"All…olden Grimm…speak…with time…"_

It then cast a curious question of its own, _"You speak…like…Wise Grimm…but feel…young...why so?"_

" _I can't say,"_ said Naruto, fabricating his response, _"I was born about a year ago, and I've been 'aware' since I first formed."_

Naruto didn't really know how to answer this question without saying something unbelievable. So, he decided to play for ignorance, since it saved time explaining. Though the Goliath could speak, it still wasn't at the level of intelligence that was capable of detecting lies.

Not that it would care either way.

The Grimm seemed to accept the answer with another nod, _"I see...world is…mysterious…"_

Naruto then asked, _"Why did you approach me? You didn't know I was able to speak before."_

It was obvious this wasn't the reason he was approached. Naruto only spoke _after_ this mammoth Grimm finished whatever investigation it had performed.

Naruto noticed that the Grimm was silent for a moment, seemingly having trouble explaining his reasoning.

It was a few more moments later before it continued, _"Don't know…You…are Grimm…yet feel…different…"_

This seemed to catch him by surprise, leading him to ask, _"Different how?"_

Naruto was curious. He himself knew why he was different, considering he was an ex-human shoved into the shell of a Grimm. His advanced intelligence, in comparison to other Grimm, was at a whole other level.

" _You are…Grimm…yet feel…human…"_

 _Human?_ Thought Naruto in shock.

Now that he thought about it, how did he not notice it before?

Even if Grimm can develop intelligence, they shouldn't be able to gain emotions…well, according superficial knowledge.

 _Are they able to detect my change in emotion?_

Unable to hide is curiosity, Naruto asked, _"So you approached me because I feel human?"_

To his surprise, the Goliath shook his head at this, _"No…you strange…but…something else…more strange…"_

Naruto's curiosity was struck once more as he thought, _More strange? What could be more strange than a Grimm that feels like a human? That should be considered total absurdity according to today's "common sense."_

Finding it fruitless to ponder on his own, he decided to voice his question, " _What could be more strange?"_

The Grimm seemed to give him a another look over before answering, _"I don't…feel like…killing…you…"_

The moment those words were spoken, Naruto froze at the Grimm's casual admittance to murder.

The Goliath continued, _"We Grimm…hate humans…yet…I don't…hate you…That…is strange…"_

Naruto couldn't agree more with this statement.

If it truly was as the Goliath said, shouldn't all other Grimm hate him as much as they hate other humans? If he really did give off the vibe of a human being despite appearing as a Grimm, then why hasn't he been hunted by his kind?

And yet according to the Goliath, Naruto seemed to be the exception to this.

" _You feel…like…an Alpha…your feeling…makes me…want…to follow…"_ Spoke the aged Grimm as he bent at the knee in deference to Naruto.

A loud *boom* resounded as the Goliath bowed to the ground, causing Naruto, Pumbaa, and Gordy to lose their footing a bit in surprise.

While Naruto and the group regained their footing, the Goliath continued, _"I…want…to learn…more…about you…so allow…this one…to follow…"_

" _I'm nowhere near as old as you,"_ Naruto began with a shake of his head, _"You are larger, and stronger than I am. Why would you follow a small Grimm like me?"_

The Mammoth was silent for a short time as it stared in Naruto's eyes, noticing how he had slit pupils, something other Grimm didn't possess.

" _For…the same reason…the boars…follow…"_

The Goliath then stood once more as it approached the boars, before sidling up to them in a line formation.

" _Grimm Alpha…isn't…the strongest…it's…the smartest…you…smarter…"_

Hearing this, Naruto felt like he finally understood one of the mysteries of being an Alpha Grimm.

It didn't matter how strong one was, and Naruto was proof of this. If one possessed enough intelligence or skill, they could conquer even the greatest of heights.

The Alpha's in Grimm history were more known for their greater strength in comparison to average Grimm, but it seemed their ability to rally other Grimm to their side was overlooked often.

" _We feel…you can…bring us…change…and hope…"_

 _Hope,_ Naruto thought inwardly, as he let that one word mull around his head once or twice.

He never expected words like _hope_ from a Grimm. For a long time, they have been perceived as evil creatures, or the embodiment of chaos. For a race of beings who were treated as bringers of destruction to use words like 'hope', it was truly a novel experience for him.

Naruto dared to say that he felt…happy.

Naruto wanted to do more than understand his race now. He wanted to meet their expectations, and clear up the general misconception of his kind.

There was a reason why they are the way they are. He just needed to find this reason, and correct it.

But, who knows how long this may take. It could be years, decades, centuries…but as a Grimm, he felt he had all the time in the world.

He turned his gaze to the direction of the Boarbatusks and asked, _"Do you guys feel the same way?"_

*Snort!*

*Snort!*

To Naruto's surprise, there was no hesitation in the snorts of his companions. He had never bothered to ask for their reasoning to follow them, and only thought it was because he was stronger.

The hogs were confident in their answer as they performed the same action the Goliath did, by bowing to him in submission, and what also seemed to be genuine respect.

Naruto smiled a foxy grin, _"I see…then I guess I shouldn't disappoint."_

He then turned in the direction of the Goliath for a moment before asking, _"Do you have a name of some sort?"_

The Goliath merely shook his head, _"We Grimm…usually…don't need…names…"_

Naruto thought about this for a moment, deciding to give his new companion a name.

Naruto was different from normal Grimm, and needed a name to differentiate them to avoid confusion. He also felt that names gave them a sense of identity, making it easier to give out commands.

As he thought about names, a small tingle could be felt in the back of his head as a name seemed to pop out of him from the pool of knowledge he was granted, _"I think…Ganesha would be a good name."_

" _Ganesha,"_ It spoke, repeating the name a few times to have a good feel for the word, _"Ganesha…it feels…wise…powerful…I like…it."_

Naruto smiled at his approval and nodded, _"That's great. My name's Naruto, by the way. And these guys are Pumbaa and Gordy."_

*Snort!*

*Snort!*

" _I see…I…will be…in your care…"_

Nodding at the short exchange of introductions, Naruto turned away towards the forest and said, _"Well, let's head out before more hunters and huntresses come along."_

" _As you say…my Alpha…"_ Ganesha confirmed, before the small herd of Grimm disappeared into the folds of darkness and within the forest.

* * *

 **A/N: End of Chapter!**

Here's my answer to a question that may be common after I post this chapter

 **Q: Why did the Goliath join so easily?**

 **A:** The Grimm are much simpler than human beings, and rely on instinct. The Goliath _felt_ Naruto was more capable, and followed through with this instinct. Nothing complicated, really.

I didn't have as much detail as I usually do in my chapters, but I had to change this chapter around A LOT because of RWBY volume 4. So much new material to work with! It kind messed with my plans a bit, but not too much. I may wait a bit more episodes to see if there is anything new about Grimm that pop out, but other than that, I will try to spend more time on their story!

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and continue to do so! This was a struggle, but I promise to do my best!

Please leave reviews with any questions, comments, or unbiased criticism. Thanks!

~Stay cool, but don't freeze!


	4. Birdbrain

**WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **A/N: Small Chapter!**

Thank you for the support, and I'm glad with how many people are enjoying this series so far! The next few chapters (this one included) will be some small growth in Naruto's herd, as well as some bonding too. I've mentioned this before, but I like to develop my characters.

But do pay attention! I throw some hints and tidbits of information in my chapters too. Please note that I **will not** spoil anything! So please don't ask me about what to expect. It'll ruin the story.

 **Next Release:** Between February 18th-25th. I have a busy work schedule, so I can't promise solid release date. These are just releasing fast because RWBY vol. 4 is pretty much over, and my ideas are spilling over. If I don't write it now, I'm sure I'll forget.

That said, I hope you enjoy!

 **Also, I may go back to add more into this chapter in the future**

"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech

 _In Oum I Trust-_ \- Normal thought

 _"In Oum I Trust"_ \- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

*Sigh*- Action

In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance

 **"In Oum I Trust"** \- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech

 _ **In Oum I Trust**_ _-_ Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought

 _ **"In Oum I Trust"**_ \- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3:** **Birdbrain**

 **-82 years before Canon-**

" _This place is very…different."_

Naruto was currently in awe as he took in his surroundings. Around him were shades of varying red that colored the leaves and grass. It was a wonderfully strange sight, completely different from his previous experience in forests.

From where he was reborn to where he has traveled, it had always been a generic, dark environment with overshadowing trees and shrubs. While it was an ideal place for Grimm to thrive, Naruto would always find it unsettling.

Grimm were very simple creatures, and didn't care for their location. They were free moving and could care less about their surroundings, as long as it was safe or provided them easy human targets. As a being that possesses intelligence and sentience, Naruto was able to appreciate the 'finer' things that Grimm normally overlook, like nature, beauty, and life. Unfortunately, this also meant that he was capable of acknowledging the bad sides as well.

Living in constant darkness made him wary of his surroundings, and the bland scenery bored him to death. He saw enough trees in his previous life to last him a lifetime…literally.

Yet here he was, born once again and surrounded by dull, unchanging nature.

That's why the current view was breathtaking to him. He couldn't recall seeing a view like this, and it definitely beat the hell out of where he was living before. The light and color alone was more vibrant and welcoming than his previous location. It was much more unique here, and seemed to be a livelier place with fewer Grimm in the area.

" _Yes…Trees…brighter…nature…full of…life."_

Ganesha didn't understand very well how to appreciate the things Naruto did despite his old age. This doesn't come as a surprise though, considering Grimm-kind's non-existent emotional quotient (EQ). But at the very least, Ganesha was able to note the logical differences between his surroundings.

*Snort!* *Snort!*

" _No…Few… Grimm herds…here…too bright…bad…for hunting…"_

Naruto looked towards the conversing Grimm and noted how the boars were becoming progressively more _aware_ of their surroundings. They were able to perceive and differentiate things more clearly, to the extent they would ask questions in regards to their safety.

 _Grimm shouldn't be learning this quickly…so why is it different in their case?_ Naruto thought before pausing, as he looked in the direction of Ganesha.

 _Now that I think about it…Ganesha's sentences are becoming clearer too._

Naruto began to contemplate these things as they continued moving deeper into the grove of crimson trees, venturing without a purpose other than to explore.

He thought about what could be causing this situation, but they have done nothing different from normal Grimm. The only difference between them and others should be…

 _Does their change have something to do with me?_

Naruto couldn't help but come to this sort of conclusion.

As far as he has been aware, his _herd_ hasn't done anything out of the ordinary. Their diet still consisted of humans, so it couldn't be something they have eaten. Nor have they encountered anything strange during their travels.

In fact, traveling and living had been a very mundane experience so far, to the extent Naruto truly wished for something exciting to happen, even if it were something dangerous.

Though Naruto supposed that hunters and huntresses were most likely avoiding Grimm populated areas, since they were more concerned with their ongoing war. I wouldn't make sense to endanger themselves during something so significant that it could change people's livelihood, and they wanted to avoid unnecessary casualties.

So, taking all of this into account, there could only be one factor that has been causing this change. That could only have been…him.

 _But…how?_ He mused in silent frustration. He lacked information, and had no way of researching this any further. He was never a scientist, so how could he know where to start? He could only theorize and hope he stumbled upon something that verified these things.

" _Alpha…we are being…watched…"_

Naruto jolted from his thoughts once he heard this, and spoke with narrowed eyes, _"Watched? Is it a hunter? Huntress?"_

" _No,"_ Ganesha began, creeping to Naruto closer so the conversation couldn't be overheard, _"Bird Grimm…watch us…since…we came here…"_

Naruto watched as the Goliath tilted its head in a far-off direction, causing Naruto's gaze to follow. From a distance, Naruto could see the figure resting in the trees, watching them with a curious gaze.

" _Nevermore."_ Naruto muttered silently, though still audible enough for Ganesha to hear.

" _Never…more? Is that…name?"_ Asked Ganesha curiously.

" _No,"_ Naruto stated, shaking his head, _"That is their species. Like you are a Goliath, that Grimm is a Nevermore."_

" _I..see…"_

According to Ganesha, Grimm didn't have a name for their specific species. The simply knew one another collectively as 'Grimm', and noted differences based on their features. In this case, a Nevermore was referred to as a 'bird' Grimm due to their avian appearance. Goliath's were called 'Big Tusk', and the Boarbatusks were called 'Little Tusk' Grimm.

The naming scheme was overly simple, so much so, you would expect it to have been created by children. Then again, Grimm couldn't care less for complexity, and settled for efficiency and simplicity.

The Nevermore Naruto was referring to wasn't too large, signifying its youth. It seemed to be the size of Pumbaa and Gordy combined, significantly smaller than an adult Nevermore. There wasn't anything else too worth mentioning other than the size, because it was otherwise a carbon copy of an average Nevermore. It simply stared at Naruto's herd, and flew from tree to tree as it followed them from a safe distance.

The intentions of the Grimm was unclear, seeing as Naruto couldn't detect any hostility. At best, it simply seemed curious, much like how he first met Ganesha.

" _Bird Grimm…curious…It noticed…you different…"_

Naruto nodded, _"I figured that. I'm confused why it's following me, though. Usually I am ignored, and the only one to ever approach me was you."_

" _Bird Grimm…stupid…young…knows only…instinct…"_

 _Ah,_ thought Naruto as he nodded in understanding, _so in other words…a bird brain. On top of that, it's young. That's just a double whammy of idiocy, and naivety._

Birds typically weren't viewed as the _brightest_ creatures in the world. That statement seemed to be true even in the world of Grimm…how sad.

" _What…do you…want…to do...?"_

Naruto mulled this over for a moment, deciding what exactly he wanted to do about this situation.

" _The Nevermore doesn't have any bad intentions, so we can leave things as is. Even if it wanted to fight, it's too young to harm us."_

Ganesha nodded, _"I understand…my Alpha…"_

" _You know…you can call me 'Naruto'. 'Alpha' sounds more like a title."_

" _Can't…do that…You…are leader…so you…are Alpha…"_

Naruto couldn't help but release a low groan of irritation.

 _Grimm and their hierarchy…_

* * *

" _It sure is persistent."_ Grumbled Naruto as he watched the Nevermore continue to follow him. They had been traveling for a few days now, and the damn bird still wouldn't let them out of their sights.

*Snort*

Naruto rolled his eyes, _"I'm not picking a fight for no reason, Gordy. Besides, it'll just fly away if it feels threatened. Last time I checked, none of us could fly."_

*Snort…*

" _*Sigh*, I know. You think I like being followed any more than you do?"_

" _Nevermore…very…interested…in you…"_

Hearing Ganesha speak, Naruto couldn't help shake his head in helplessness. This whole situation was a bit weird to him. He hadn't done anything to catch its interest, right? Is his presence really that unique?

 _To think I have my own stalker…strangely though, this situation feels familiar. It kind of makes me wonder if I had someone like that in my last life…_

Naruto would sometimes have random moments of déjà vu. Like now, he felt that he had been watched in a similar manner back in his old universe, but still couldn't put a name to the person involved.

 _I might be able to regain my memories, but right now, it feels like this won't happen for a long time._

What Naruto didn't understand was that the 'purification' that occurs in limbo is an 'omnipotent' process, which cleanses the souls in it _perfectly_. Naruto was lucky enough to even possess his 'awareness', let alone some of his memories. It's unfortunate, but Naruto may never recollect these memories even if thousands, or millions of years passed by.

*CAW!*

Naruto jumped with a start and turned to the source of the loud screech. When he looked, he saw Gordy and Pumba running after the Nevermore with unrelenting charges. It seemed the hogs got tired of being followed and decided to do something about the situation.

And as Naruto predicted, the Nevermore continued to fly around them from tree to tree, and the boars chased after it, toppling trees one after another with every charge.

*Caw!* *Caw!*

*Snort!* *Snort!*

*Snooort!*

Grunts and screeches could be heard as this game of cat and mouse continued, while Naruto overlooked the crazy scene with small yips, resembling a chuckle.

Ganesha didn't find this scene comical, and viewed it more as a waste of time.

" _Dumb Grimm,"_ I murmured before turning in Naruto's direction, _"What should…we do?"_

" _Nothing,"_ Naruto began, watching as the Nevermore dropped a torn tree branch onto the head of Gordy, pissing him off significantly, _"It's like watching a child fighting amongst other children. It's kinda funny, really."_

If you looked at it in one perspective, it could be seen as a pointless fight. But it was kind of comical to see the 'supposed' monstrous and heartless creatures of Grimm essentially playing a game of tag. What was it called…Gap moe?

Naruto only shook his head at that thought, once more recalling useless knowledge, gifted to him by Oum.

 _No, they would have to be cute to be gap moe…I swear, the only knowledge I ever receive doesn't help me in the least._

Ganesha merely nodded, and didn't refute any further, _"If…you say so…Alpha…"_

*Caw!*

Hearing the screech once more, Naruto turned to the direction of the ongoing 'fight' between the Grimm, only to be surprised by what he saw.

It seemed the boars got a little too close for comfort to the Nevermore, so the avian Grimm flew high into the air and fired projectiles at them which appeared to be…feathers? They missed by a longshot, but he assumed it was more of a warning shot than an action to inflict harm.

Naruto then received a spark in his head, as more new information flooded his mind.

 _I see…so there are some Grimm that possess abilities outside of just physical strength or speed._

As Naruto traveled, he met with a lot of Grimm, but most were usually simple in how they attacked.

Beowolves and Ursa primarily used their claws and bites to attack, while Boarbatusks charged using their tusks. He had never met with unique Grimm like the Nevermore that was capable of _ranged_ methods of attack.

 _I wonder…if I have an ability like that?_

As far as Naruto knew, his specialty was his speed, flexibility, and acrobatics to move around and attack. He never had a moment where his 'true power' ever came forth in battles, but then again, he never really had much of a challenge when he fought.

Naruto thought about this for a moment before he turned in the direction of Ganesha, _"Do you have any special abilities like that?"_

" _No,"_ Said Ganesha, while shaking his head, _"Every Grimm…different…rely on…different strengths…"_

" _I see,"_ Naruto nodded, _"So what is your strength?"_

" _My Grimm…have better…memory…Smarter…than normal…Grimm."_

 _That makes sense,_ thought Naruto as he reflected on his travels with the Boarbatusks and the Goliath.

Even though he had been with the boars for a longer period of time, Ganesha was much better at retaining information and understanding what Naruto talked about.

 _So not all Grimm possess physical skills. Ganesha starts with better intelligence, and the Nevermore can use its feathers as projectiles…maybe there are other skills outside of just physical abilities._

Naruto was starting to get excited at the thought of discovering the unique abilities of different Grimm, and perhaps awakening one of his own.

" _How did you learn of your ability? Was it through a fight? After a certain amount of time?"_

For the first time since they met, Ganesha looked at Naruto a bit strangely when hearing this question. It surprised Naruto, since it was usually stoic in its demeanor.

" _Alpha,"_ It began with a curious tilt of the head, _"All Grimm…know skills…from birth…was it…not…the same…for you?"_

"… _What?"_

Noticing Naruto's confusion and how his body froze, Ganesha continued, _"Grimm skills…are natural…from birth…we don't...learn them…we just…know…"_

 _Does that mean…I don't have an ability?_

Thinking this, Naruto couldn't help but feel disappointed. He never received any sort of information that indicated he had a special ability, nor did it come natural to him. If that were true, then he truly doesn't have an ability. He would have loved to have another means for survival…but it seems he wasn't so fortunate.

 _No,_ he thought with determination, _I won't know if I have an ability or not without even trying._

*Caw!*

The Nevermore that was being chased by the boars soon came flying over to Naruto and…hid behind his back. Seeing the avian Grimm hiding behind their Alpha, Pumbaa and Gordy both paused, waiting for their boss to say or do something in retaliation.

*Caw!* *Caw!*

*Snort!*

*Snort!* *Snort!* *Snort!*

If Naruto were to translate this conversation it would probably be something like:

" _What's wrong? You're not gonna attack again?"_ \- Nevermore

" _You bitch!"_ \- Gordy

" _Your fuckin' dead, you pussy! How dare you hide behind Aniki!"_ \- Pumbaa

Seeing this, Naruto could only lament in depression over the current situation.

 _These guys…How come they only pick up on the bad things?_

Throughout their travels, Naruto wasn't _always_ calm and collected.

Even _he_ had bad days.

And for some reason, those moronic boars seemed to pay more attention on those bad days. Because of this, their foul vocabulary was no different from your common thug.

 _I need to watch what I say around them from now on…_

While Naruto was able to control this to some extent, it seemed that their 'Yakuza-like' nature kicked into full gear whenever they were annoyed or pissed off…which was more often than not.

Naruto yipped at the boars, _"Quiet you two! I thought I told you to leave it alone?"_

Seeing they were being reprimanded instead of the Nevermore, Gordy and Pumbaa lowered their head in silence and grunted what seemed to be an apology.

 _What am I going to do with you two,_ thought Naruto as he stared at the silent, slightly despondent, Grimm.

Feeling a bit bad, Naruto promised them he would fight them later in the day, which seemed to bring their mood up as they released grunts of satisfaction and walked away to 'play' like they normally did…by fighting.

Seeing he satisfied his longest companions, Naruto couldn't help but smile, _They're just like a bunch of kids…_

Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn't starting to get attached to those two Grimm. It was kind of like have two younger brothers…of course, if you ignore the fact that they were older than him in all actuality. They had their high and low moments, but overall, Naruto never felt lonely with them around, which is what mattered the most.

The fact that they were getting smarter made things better because interactions were starting to become more variable and entertaining.

Ganesha seemed more like a 'butler' than anything, since he always followed Naruto and would serve him to the best of his ability. If he had to give him a familial title…perhaps he would be considered the uncle? Grandfather? Uncle-Grandpa? Something along those lines, he supposed.

Breaking away from these thoughts, he finally turned his attention to the Nevermore. He stared into its eyes, looking for any signs of hostility.

Finding none, Naruto spoke out, _"Do you understand what I'm saying?"_

There was a small silence before the bird-like Grimm nodded slowly, staring unflinchingly in the eyes of Naruto. It probably could perceive things to a certain extent with some degree difficulty, as evidenced by the slow response.

Naruto nodded, _"I take it you don't have a name either, correct?"_

*Caw?*

The Nevermore seemed to tilt its head slightly in confusion, making Naruto sigh.

 _Yea, I should've known…_

Ganesha did mention how "Stupid" this Grimm was. This may just be because this Grimm was still young, but the fact it was a bird species probably didn't help it much either.

" _Well, you have plenty of time to learn I suppose,"_ he spoke in slight annoyance before pointing a paw at the bird's direction, _"I guess… 'Karasuba' will be a good name for now. Got it?"_

*Caw!*

The Nevermore didn't exactly understand what was going on at the moment, but it sensed that Naruto wanted its approval of some sort. And so, it obliged.

 _Hah~,_ Naruto sighed once more, _hopefully it picks up on things as fast as the other Grimm…_

He then turned to a random direction in the crimson forest and began his journey once more.

" _Well, let's head out."_

" _Yes…my Alpha…"_

*Snort!*

*Snort!*

*Caw?*

 _*Sigh*...damn birds…_

* * *

 **A/N: End of Chapter!**

Not much going on this chapter. Mainly just an introduction to another herd member and some info about Grimm abilities. More information will be revealed in future chapters. I can only ask you guys be patient with me. I leave things vague in case RWBY throw anything new at me, and because I plan to explain it later down the line.

Please leave reviews with any questions (non-spoiler questions), comments, or unbiased criticism. If you want me to improve, or enjoy my work enough to keep me motivated, reviews are the best way to do so!

~Stay cool but don't Freeze


	5. Intoxicated

**WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **A/N:** Thanks for everyone's support once again!

This chapter is another 'character development' chapter, but also explains some things, as well as the progress of the Grimm in Naruto's herd. See if you can point some things out!

I've also used quite of bit of references for this chapter, so see if you can pick those out too! One of them is a very old joke, so I'm wondering if anyone can find it?

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! It's short, but I did say my chapters will be anywhere between 2000-5000 words, so I'm within my promised limit!

Next chapter or two will also be for character development, but I can say it won't be long before some action/story development chapters appear. So look forward to it!

 **Next Chapter Release:** Feb. 25th-March 5th. I'm still pretty busy, so I'll release when I can.

I do have a question for my readers at the end of this chapter, so feel free to answer or not.

 **Also, I may go back to add more into this chapter in the future**

"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech

 _In Oum I Trust-_ \- Normal thought

 _"In Oum I Trust"_ \- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

*Sigh*- Action

In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance

 **"In Oum I Trust"** \- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech

 _ **In Oum I Trust**_ _-_ Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought

 _ **"In Oum I Trust"**_ \- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Intoxication**

 **-82 years before Canon-**

*Hiss!* *Hiss!*

" _Piss off! We were here first, bastard!"_

*Hiss!*

" _You really wanna start?! I'll skin you and make you into a purse!"_

*Hiss?*

" _If you don't leave, you'll find out what a 'purse' is first hand!"_

It was another dull day in the life of Naruto and his group of Grimm as they could be seen resting within the forest of red, a place Naruto soon learned was called 'Forever Falls' thanks to Oum's bank of information that had been deposited into his mind.

As a Grimm, they really didn't need to rest since their bodies didn't work the same way a human's did. It was more for Naruto, than the others.

The downside of being more intelligent, was that he had little patience for stupidity. In other words, mental stress.

Of course, Naruto enjoyed the company of other Grimm, but it didn't mean he never felt overtaxed when dealing with them all the time. Especially with the new addition to their group, Karasuba.

Karasuba was…a handful, to say the least. It was overly attached to Naruto, borderline obsessive. It just seemed _addicted_ to his presence, but Naruto wasn't sure why that was the case. When he tried to figure out the reason, he only found that the Nevermore just seemed to be more satisfied being close to him than not.

Whatever the reason for Karasuba's obsession, Naruto was sure it had something to do with his ability to influence the Grimm's growth. Karasuba may instinctually know that being near Naruto would make it stronger, or smarter. It just seemed too coincidental to be anything else.

Pumbaa and Gordy, however, didn't take to kindly to the avian Grimm's actions.

They were the ones with the longest connection to Naruto, and they were beginning to show signs of something outside of increased intelligence…emotions.

Though they may not be aware of it, and though there was only a _very_ faint trace of it, there were definitely some hints of jealousy when they looked at Karasuba. This may have been because they saw themselves as the 'Right Hand' of Naruto, and that _they_ should be the ones beside him at all times.

*Hiss!* *Hiss!*

" _You think I'm scared of you? Size doesn't mean shit! Go 'hiss' somewhere else!"_

Getting back to the current situation, Naruto could be seen arguing with another Grimm that had intruded onto 'his' territory.

Naruto was a pretty free spirit and traveled often, but he decided he would claim 'Forever Falls' as his own, which was normal for Grimm. All Grimm have the tendency to mark the areas they like the most, and Naruto was no different.

He just couldn't get enough of its intoxicating beauty and unique appearance. He seemed to have an attraction to different hues of red. Naruto noted that it must be a lingering attachment from his past, or something along those lines.

And the Grimm who was currently intruding in his area was one he liked the least out of all the Grimm…the King Taijitu.

It was a large, snake-like Grimm that was composed of two different halves joined at the center: One white, and the other black. It had bone plating on its skull with red markings, reminiscent in appearance to Naruto's.

It had deep, crimson eyes with many fangs in its jaws. It was very unique from other Grimm due to the two different color shades, as well as its checkerboard design that joined them in the center.

Although Naruto didn't mind most Grimm, he couldn't help but feel _uncomfortable_ around snakes, this one being included. He always imagined himself being swallowed by one, and he wasn't willing to take any chances.

After a long string of yips and hissing going back and forth, the King Taijitu eventually had enough and slithered away.

Seeing this, Naruto stood proudly with his snout held in the air, _"Yeah, you better slither! If you wanna hiss, go to your own snake pit and hiss! Try coming back again, I dare you! You won't even have a pit to hiss in when I'm through!"_

Naruto was starting to become unreasonable in his taunts, and was just shouting in dominance at this point.

He was always uneasy around snakes.

After the King Taijitu disappeared in the distance, Ganesha walked until he stood beside Naruto.

" _My Alpha, you were a bit strange with that Grimm. Did it upset you somehow?"_

Naruto turned to the large Grimm beside him and sighed, _"No, I'm just not good with snakes of any kind. Especially large ones like that."_

Ganesha nodded, _"I understand, my Alpha."_

Naruto couldn't help but shake his head at the wise Grimm. No matter how long they spent together, he would never call Naruto something other than 'Alpha'. Naruto seemed to come to terms with this, but he was still getting used to it.

Ganesha was very different from the other Grimm, and probably was the best company for Naruto to have, compared to the rest at least.

While he wasn't very active and outgoing like Pumbaa, Gordy, and Karasuba, he more than made up for it with his intellectual curiosity and complex conversation.

Ganesha himself was very indifferent to a lot of things despite being the oldest, and the physically strongest one in the herd. It was more focused on learning from Naruto, than anything else. It seemed that through the small talks they had during their travels, Ganesha formed a thirst for knowledge, something Naruto was more than happy to indulge him with.

Ganesha was his only true conversational partner, and through each discussion they had, Ganesha became more intelligent and spoke with greater clarity. It reached to the point that Ganesha no longer spoke with pauses between words, and Naruto couldn't be happier.

Outside of being a fast learner, he found that Ganesha was also a capable teacher. He managed to teach Pumbaa and Gordy to say their first words a couple weeks ago (through the link)! Unfortunately, their first word was 'Alpha', so Naruto was stuck hearing this same damn title until Ganesha taught them more words.

But he supposed it was a good start.

Karasuba was still young, so it still needed more time to develop greater knowledge. On the plus side, however, it was growing at a very fast rate in physical terms. It was now twice the size it was before, easily towering over Pumbaa and Gordy, though still smaller than Ganesha.

Speaking of the two, Naruto looked in their direction and saw them fighting Karasuba…again. Though with Karasuba's increased size, it was much faster than before.

The boars were starting to get smarter too, and would catapult each other in an attempt to shoot the avian Grimm down. They would also use the trees to their advantage to increase their height.

Naruto ignored their actions, mainly because it was helping them get stronger and more skilled…plus it gave Naruto a _much-needed_ break.

Watching them scuffle a bit more, Naruto couldn't help but release a foxy smile. He did like seeing them play around like this, it just reassured him that there truly is more to Grimm than humans think. It was like watching children in his eyes, but more than that…he felt like they were a family.

 _I guess I can let them play a bit longer,_ thought Naruto as he laid in the red grass, watching over his herd.

* * *

" _Ganesha…"_

" _Yes, Alpha?"_

" _Why is that Ursa…passed out?"_

" _What does 'passed out' mean, alpha?"_

"… _never mind. I'll tell you later."_

A short while after Naruto's run-in with the King Taijitu, he and his herd began to travel once more until they stumbled upon this scene before them.

Currently, there was an Ursa Major sleeping under a large, crimson tree with…something red on its mouth?

From the scent alone, Naruto could tell that it wasn't blood. It was much too sweet, and looked to be sticky in substance.

Looking away from the Ursa, he noticed the same red substance seeping from the bark of the large crimson tree.

 _Is that tree sap? And it's also red…how strange…_

Would someone normally be so intrigued by the natural production of sap coming from a tree? Probably not…

But Naruto wasn't someone normal. He was _elated_ once he saw this red sap, as he continued to look between the Ursa and the tree.

 _This Ursa looks…content. Does this mean…_

Naruto gulped a mouthful of air as he processed what this situation meant.

 _Does this mean that Grimm can eat something…other than humans?!_

Naruto couldn't be any more ecstatic than he was now!

It needed to be understood that Naruto spent _months_ trying to find an alternative food source outside of humans. It was only in desperation that he finally consumed one, and many afterwards…but what if he no longer needed to?

Naruto decided to wait with bated breath as he watched the unconscious Ursa. He decided to wait until it awoke to see if there were any repercussions from consuming the sap. Why experiment on himself when there was already a willing subject?

He anxiously waited a few hours before the Ursa finally awoke, but he was patient. He could care less about the duration, it was the results that mattered.

When the Ursa got up, it seemed to stumble in its step, and was a bit clumsy. When it noticed it wasn't alone, it looked to find several other Grimm staring at it. It let out a low growl, but that subsided once it took in the appearance of the _very_ large Goliath that stood behind Naruto.

Being a lone Grimm, it decided to not fight for the tree it rested under and hunkered away with slow steps, occasionally faltering in stride, but otherwise leaving normally.

 _The Ursa seemed a bit groggy, but that could be because it had just woken up,_ noted Naruto. He also realized it was strange that a Grimm would be sleeping in the first place, considering Grimm don't sleep. It was more that they hibernated until they could sense prey to pounce on, but the sap seemed to shut off their senses. This made it more like they were asleep, than it was a hunting mechanism.

This worried Naruto a bit, but he figured that it would be fine as long as no hunters/huntresses were around, and he was surrounded by trusted herd-mates.

" _Ganesha, keep an eye on the surroundings, I'm going to try the sap the Ursa had."_

Ganesha appeared a bit confused, but did nothing to reject Naruto's orders. It acquiesced with a nod of its head, and turned to keep its focus more on the area around him.

Seeing this, Naruto finally stepped up to the tree, and found a spot that had the most concentrated amount of sap.

He sniffed it a few times to be sure, but all he could smell was a genuine sweetness he hadn't sensed in a long while. Deciding to go through with his actions, he took a small lick of the sap, and let it roll around his tongue.

After a few moments, Naruto's eyes widened as he exclaimed, _"I…I can eat it! This is amazing! And its soo good! Like liquid candy!"_

He then took in more of the sap, but this time in gulps. As the sap trickled down is throat, he began to feel another sensation, one different from his prior feelings.

 _The sap is sweet to the tongue, but there is also a strong sting, or tingle, as it goes down. My body starts to heat up, but it doesn't feel bad…not bad at all!_

It was a strange feeling, but Naruto paid it no mind. He was much too happy at the discovery of this _edible_ sap to care!

He was still being cautious, but after waiting a few moments without any adverse effects, Naruto decided to take in a bit more.

Naruto continued to bask in the flavor about 10 minutes before he started to feel something else.

 _That Ursa passed out somehow, so maybe it just had a larger amount? But I don't see how-_

As Naruto was continuing to indulge himself in the sap, he started to feel his thoughts slur a bit as he gradually became dizzy.

His chest began to heat up, and his face began to flush in warmth. His face began to relax into a stupid smile and his breathing became a bit heavy with small *hics* between breaths.

His body was starting to slump a bit, and he felt himself become more…relaxed, and loose.

 _This feeling is…familiar…but what?_

Naruto's words began to slow as he spoke, trying to understand his current feelings. At some point…he just stopped caring. Out of nowhere, he started hopping from place to place with renewed vigor and wild abandon. He seemed more like a child than the mature Grimm he was before.

He did falter in his step more than a few times, but he could have cared less. He continued to prance around like a _normal_ young kit would, occasionally tumbling into trees and piles of scattered, autumn leaves.

He began to release a series of yips that translated to laughter, _"Haha, wow…this feeling is…fantastic…"_

Noticing that Naruto was beginning to act strange, Pumbaa decided to approach Naruto with careful steps, unsure of how to act in this situation. Karasuba and Gordy merely watched from a distance, hoping that _whatever_ was happening would end soon.

" _Alpha…you…okay?"_

Naruto turned towards the voice of the Grimm who spoke, and saw the figure of Pumbaa only several feet away from him.

Naruto approached the Grimm with quick steps and stared into the eyes of Pumbaa that was…intimidating to say the least. His gaze was unblinking as he stared into the sunset hue of the boar's eyes, almost as if he was searching for something. Whatever that was, it remained a mystery…much to Pumbaa's confused despair.

Pumbaa had never felt so powerless under his gaze before, and his presence was overwhelming him. Naruto's narrowed, slit eyes seemed to bore into its very being. It felt like Naruto was studying its every move and fiber of its existence, from its bone-plated mask, down to the black hairs of its body.

It was a tense silence between the two, before Naruto released a sly grin, _"Hey…Pumbaa…"_

Pumbaa listened to Naruto with close attention, afraid Naruto's scary gaze may return if he did otherwise.

" _Repeat after me…Hakuna...Matata."_

Pumbaa paused, trying to understand the word…but failed to do so, and could only look at Naruto in confusion.

Seeing this confusion, Naruto clarified with his mischievous grin, _"Hakuna Matata…it means no worries…"_

Seeing Pumbaa continue to stare at him blankly, Naruto's grin morphed into a dark, and irritated frown.

He then spoke with a sinister undertone, _**"Say…it!"**_

Frightened, Pumbaa complied, _"Hakka…Mata!"_

Well… _tried_ to comply, but Naruto wasn't satisfied.

The current Naruto seemed to have forgotten that Grimm struggled to learn new words, or pretty much _anything_ in general. This was evident by the obvious irritation present in his tone due to Pumbaa's mispronunciation of the phrase, and his forcefulness to get Pumbaa to say it correctly.

" _ **Again!"**_

" _Habakkuk…Tata!"_

" _ **Again!"**_

"Hakuku…Matat!"

" **Again!"**

After a series of trial and error for what seemed like hours, Pumbaa finally managed to succeed.

" _Hakuna…Matata!"_

Finally, Naruto released a complacent smile as he laughed.

" _Good! And…what does 'Hakuna Matata' mean?!"_

With a small grunt of fear, hoping it wouldn't see Naruto's scary visage it had already seen before, it immediately replied with crystal clarity.

" _It means…no worries!"_

Naruto began to laugh once more, _"For the rest of our days! Haha, Good, Good! Keep practicing Pumbaa."_

"...Or **else** …" Naruto finished, temporarily returning to his commanding, heavy tenor.

Hearing this, Pumbaa nodded vigorously in fear as it continued to repeat those words over…and over…and over, until it became like a mantra or prayer.

This moment would forever scar Pumbaa, even as he reached the pinnacle of intelligence for Grimm. Whenever he became startled, or frightened by Naruto, it would immediately respond with "Hakuna Matata!" The trauma of Naruto's dark expression was deep and proved to be too much for the old boar to withstand, and haunted him for the rest of his life.

Naruto would never remember this moment to regret it, only treating it as a strange quirk of his.

Poor Pumbaa…

Naruto smiled upon seeing this…until he turned his attention towards the other Grimm.

Not wanting to be in this situation, Gordy made the smart move and disappeared in the area, as well as Ganesha. Unfortunately, Karasuba wasn't that bright.

" _Hey Karasuba~"_ He spoke in a sing-song voice that did little to hide his mischievous intentions.

*Caw?*

But it seemed to be convincing enough for the birdbrain.

Naruto's grin turned sinister once more as he slowly approached the poor, clueless bird.

Naruto would later realize that the sap was the Grimm's equivalent to alcohol. It was a concentration of Nature, aura, and hints of dust…amongst other things. The concentration and ratio was peculiar, in a way that it would cause Grimm to exhibit _abnormal_ behaviors.

In Naruto's case, it seemed his plethora of useless knowledge came in full swing and altered his behavior…much to his herd's horror.

" _ **Does Polly want a Cracker?"**_

…Poor Grimm…

* * *

 **A/N: End of Chapter!**

The chapter was short, but it was mainly just to build upon my current set of characters. I may have another chapter or two like this one, but I can **promise** that some action  & story development will happen after those one or two chapters. My first Arc ends somewhere between 5-10 more chapters.

Do look forward to it!

Leave a review with any questions, comments, or unbiased criticism! The best motivation for me is your reviews. It is also the best way for me to improve my writing, so don't be shy!

I will answer what I can through PM, but I do admit I won't be able to get to everyone (sorry!). There's just too many, and I already have a lot on my plate.

Also, I'd like you guys to take a guess on which of these Grimm will be next to join the herd! I will only be adding one more…for now. **I've already decided on which** , but I'm curious on the guesses.

Why am I curious? Because my readers are pretty smart, and guessed some things I planned for later in the story. Not completely accurate, but they were pretty damn close! I just want to see _how_ perceptive you guys really are.

Death Stalker

Beringel

Geist

Nuckelavee

Ursa

~Stay cool, but don't Freeze


	6. Huntsmen

**WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **A/N:** Thanks for everyone's support once again!

I understand people feel like I'm putting things off for too long & that some of my chapters seem like an omake, but I don't think so. My chapters have purpose, but the hints are subtle and will be explained later on. My releases are infrequent, so the gap kinda makes everyone impatient. I apologize for that, but there's nothing I can do my dear readers. I'm much too busy with my job and family, so I try the best that I can.

There will also be some crude language in the chapter, so sorry if that bothers you! It is rated M after all…

I won't talk too much and just let everyone get on with the story. Another short chapter, but it is a sign for some important things to come. I hope you guys look forward to it!

 **Also, I may go back to add more into this chapter in the future**

"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech

 _In Oum I Trust-_ \- Normal thought

 _"In Oum I Trust"_ \- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

*Sigh*- Action

In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance

 **"In Oum I Trust"** \- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech

 _ **In Oum I Trust**_ _-_ Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought

 _ **"In Oum I Trust"**_ \- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Hunters**

 **-82 years before Canon-**

" _Ugh…what hit me?"_ Naruto voiced in a groggy tone.

He was currently laying in a field of red with his back down and stomach exposed to the air. He was rolling a bit in slight ache, as he slowly awakened from his slumber.

The time it took to grasp his surroundings was slow, and he seemed to be more focused on the pain that was attacking his mind. He tried to stand, but failed as he foolishly tumbled to one side, rolling a couple of times before coming to a stop. That short moment of spinning did nothing to aid the pains he was currently feeling, and made him experience a sickening dizziness.

" _Gah! Shit, why do I have a splitting headache?!"_

He curled into a small, fetal position as he continued to comfort this newfound pain, and reflect on what could have happened.

" _Last thing I remembered was seeing an Ursa, and drinking some sap…was it because of that?"_

 _Now that I think about it,_ Naruto mused as he recalled the familiar feeling that sap gave him, _That Sap kind of tasted familiar…_

It took a while for him to get his brain functioning adequately to think, but eventually he recovered enough to reach a conclusion. He then released a sigh, slowly coming to the realization of what that sap could've been.

 _*Sigh*_ _, I should've paid more attention. It started sweet, but burned going down the throat…That right there should've been a strong hint._

Naruto paused to look at his paws which were covered with sticky evidence that he probably consumed more after he blacked out.

 _So that sap is like liquor to Grimm…Well that really sucks…_

Perhaps someone else may have been happy to make this discovery, and even Naruto was still a bit pleased that there was something akin to alcohol for Grimm. After all, it was a good relaxant and was a very 'feel good' drink.

But Naruto's disappointment overwhelmed any prior excitement he had.

When Naruto first saw the sap, he expected it to be a substitute for food, or something along those lines. It would have made a _huge_ difference in his current eating habits, but that was all thrown away once he realized it was a substitute for alcohol.

In fact, Naruto thought it was even _more_ dangerous to consume the red sap.

If this sap was anything like other alcohol, it would cause emotional spikes and mood swings that would become too chaotic to ignore.

While this may not appear detrimental to normal Grimm, Naruto was different. Unlike the average Grimm, Naruto was capable of feeling happy, sad, and angry. It's known that alcohol tends to remove any restraints or control someone has over their emotions, and heightens them to abnormal peaks that could be dangerous to anyone around them.

While things like increased happiness may not be a problem, or maybe even sadness, anger was something else.

Someone who was drunk and angry was _not_ someone you wanted to be around for long. They become unpredictable, and the various mood swings only adds onto their unreasonable behavior. The slightest misstep could prove detrimental to the company they keep around them.

So, why was this bad in the case of Grimm?

It's very simple, actually.

Grimm don't fight like human drunkards, they kill.

So, whatever control Naruto had over his violent, instinctive tendencies would disappear if he overdosed on the red sap.

But what worried Naruto wasn't so much the lack of emotional control. Even if he became unreasonable, he felt like he could still resist his more 'animalistic' tendencies to a comfortable extent.

It was another negative effect that had him worried, one that was more biological than mental.

 _The Drunchies…_

The 'Drunchies', as Naruto put it, is short for the 'Drunken Munchies', meaning that as someone consumes more alcohol, the become hungry.

VERY hungry.

And a hungry Grimm is something Naruto didn't want to become, for the sake of innocent humans.

Naruto released a long breath, slowly recovering from his pained headache, _"I'll have to be careful about this sap. It should be fine to have on occasion, but who knows when a normal human will pass by when I'm intoxicated."_

Finally breaking away from his reflection, Naruto took a good look at his surroundings to find he was in a different area from before, but was otherwise still in 'Forever Falls' if the crimson shade of nature was anything to go by.

A short distance away, he came upon the sight of his herd of Grimm, which made him smile a bit.

 _It's a good thing I have these guys around,_ he thought with a light smile, _I don't have to worry much about being attacked. They stayed close by this entire time…these guys sure are loyal._

Naruto's herd saw that he was staring at them, which caused them to…shiver?

 _Strange,_ he thought as he tilted his head in confusion, _they almost seem afraid of me…did something happen?_

As Naruto began to close in on them, he noticed their bodies stiffen, and did nothing to move a muscle. This slight action gave Naruto momentary pause, but he continued his approach anyways. He brushed it off as a strange quirk his herd possessed.

Once close enough, he heard the oldest Grimm of the group speak, " _Alpha…are you okay?"_

" _Other than my fading headache, I'm fine. Why?"_ Naruto spoke in slight confusion.

Ganesha took in the nonchalant appearance of Naruto, and decided to not comment any further.

He didn't want to be the one to tell Naruto of his _actions_ after he consumed the sap. He himself was also victim to Naruto's harassment, but it wasn't nearly as bad as Karasuba and Pumbaa.

" _It's nothing. You just became a bit strange after eating the sap."_

Naruto quirked a non-existent brow, _"Oh? Did I do anything abnormal?"_

Ganesha was silent for a moment as he carefully selected his words, _"…You moved and stumbled a lot, and I couldn't understand a lot of your words."_

Ganesha revealed some truths while holding back some of the more _unsavory_ comments that would displease his leader. A lot of the references Naruto used were beyond his comprehension anyways, seeing as that knowledge came from another world.

" _I see,"_ Naruto spoke with a relieved sigh, glad he didn't do anything too chaotic, _"that's good to hear."_

He was slightly suspicious about what Ganesha said, but it was probably true that he wouldn't understand a lot of things Naruto would say. He was still in the process of learning, so Naruto couldn't fault him for that.

He then turned in the direction of the Grimm and spoke, _"How about you Pumbaa? Did anything happen?"_

To reassure himself, he decided to ask another member of his herd, but was left with silence as the said boar continued to remain stiff and stare blankly into space. The eyes looked glossed over, almost as if it were trying to escape to some happy place in its mind.

Seeing this, Naruto lifted his paw gently and poked the side of the boar to get his attention, _"You okay big-"_

" _HAKUNA MATATA!"_

Almost as soon as Naruto made contact with the frozen Boarbatusk, it shouted as loud as it could in fear, interrupting Naruto in the process.

 _Whoa, what the hell?! What's wrong with him?_ Naruto shouted inwardly in shock at Pumbaa's overreaction.

" _Hey, take it easy big guy. Why're you shouting? And what does 'Hakuna Matata' mean?"_

Unfortunately for Naruto, Pumbaa didn't hear a word he said. It seemed like the boar completely blocked out his sentence except for the part, 'What does Hakuna Matata mean?'

That sentence seemed to trigger the hidden trauma within Pumbaa's mind once more as he answered, _"It means 'No Worries!' For the rest of our days!"_

Naruto was taken aback once more as he slowly absorbed this useless information, and decided to comfort the _obviously_ disturbed Boarbatusk. Though he was curious, and impressed, that he was able to speak clearly without pausing, he decided to address the more important issue at hand.

" _It's gonna be ok buddy. I don't know what happened, but you'll be fine-"_

And as Naruto reached to pat Pumbaa once more on the side to comfort him, it seemed it had the opposite effect and made him back away in slight fear. Its shivering figure was plain to see and it stumbled slightly in its panicked steps.

Pumbaa did the only thing a traumatized being would if they were to see the reason for their phobia standing before them…

*Squeal!* *Squeeeeeal!*

He high-tailed it out of there into the grove of red trees and bushes with a high-pitched cry, leaving a very confused and baffled Naruto.

 _Well that's not something you see every day…_

He then turned to Karasuba who was nearby as well and asked, _"So what was wrong with him?"_

" _Don't wanna Cracker! Don't Wanna Cracker!"_

*Caaaaw!*

…And Karasuba proceeded to fly away into the distant horizon, never to be seen or heard from again…for the next couple of hours.

Baffled once more, Naruto could only shake his head at what happened before.

 _Hah~, why do the Grimm in my herd have to be so strange?_

* * *

*pant* *pant*

"Hah! Hah!"

Within this forest of red, the Grimm were not the _only_ ones who inhabited it. This was an obvious, yet commonly ignored fact since 'Forever Falls' hardly had any battles occur there. It was a relatively peaceful area that wasn't very good to fight strategically. It was too far out of the way and lacked discrete and tactical positions for bases of operation. It was too bright and held no environmental advantage for the ongoing war.

And currently, we find an average-looking, middle-aged man with dark brown hair. He had one black eye, while the other seemed to be white with a scar running down vertically, alluding to an incident that may have caused him to go blind from that eye.

He appeared to be a hunter from the weathered look on his face, on top of the fact that he carried a large axe for a weapon on his back. It was unique because the end of the pole that was attached to the Axe-head had a revolving chamber for dust application. This type of weapon was clearly more advanced than an average one, showing that this man was no simple figure.

Nothing else stood out from this appearance as his pants were khaki in tone and his top was a sleeveless black muscle shirt that did little to hide his hulking mass of muscle.

*pant* *pant*

"Fuck!" The large man scowled and spoke with heavy irritation, "Damn bastards caught on quick! I don't get paid enough for this shit!"

But all else aside, we now find this man running through the forest nearly out of breath, seemingly running away from someone, or something. This continued for a couple of hours before he finally stopped his movement and rested against a tree.

His chest convulsed in desperation as he continued to gasp and heave for much needed air. His legs trembled in slight soreness, indicating he had been on the run for a long time now.

*pant* *pant*

"Hah…hah…final-fuckin-ly…think I lost 'em…"

"Who exactly did you lose…Wretch."

At the sudden response, the man called 'Wretch' adopted a combative stance in reaction, as he carefully studied his surroundings. His posture and alert form showed that he was well versed and an experienced veteran in combat.

But once he recognized the tone of voice, he relaxed a bit, though heavy irritation could still be seen marring his scarred face.

"Echo," he began as he narrowed his eyes, looking for the other man's figure, "You piece of shit! If you were close, then tell me! Stop tryin' to fuckin' scare me while hiding, you ninja-fetish sonuva bitch!"

A sigh could be heard as the man called 'Echo' dropped down from the branch of a nearby tree.

Echo couldn't be any more different in appearance compared to Wretch, as he was far more thin and youthful in stature. He wore a large black cloak which concealed a simple black shirt and grey pants. His hood was currently over his head, but it did little to hide the small tufts of black hair from protruding.

He skin was pale and had an expression that seemed brooding in nature. His dark, black eyes could be seen with small bags underneath as he sent Wretch a tired frown, "Don't change the subject…who were you running from?"

Wretch released an annoyed grunt as he spat onto the ground, "You know who…those bitches from Vale caught me snoopin' around the place and tried to hunt my ass down."

He then shrugged his shoulders and spoke nonchalantly, "I got away though. Like those damn pansies are gonna do shit to me."

Wretch did nothing to hide his disdain for the Vale folk. Those people were fighting a war, for what? To be 'expressive'? He felt that was pussy talk! He didn't really care much about Mistral or Mantle's beliefs either, though he supposed he liked the idea of continued slavery. Hence the reason why he preferred to work with that side over Vacuo and Vale who were against it.

Echo was silent, but the barely restrained annoyance was visible on his face. He spoke, "…does Vale's King know about you?"

As soon as those words were spoken, the once confident, monstrous man of muscle now had his face paled. He shivered once Vale's King was mentioned.

That man was worthy of becoming a legend and dominated every battlefield he commanded. He alone was a game-changing powerhouse. Not only was his personal strength overwhelming, but his strategies and careful planning was even _more_ monstrous. He always seemed ten steps ahead of Mistral and Mantle, and has been the biggest reason why this war lasted as long as it did. He was an unrelenting thorn in Mistral and Mantle's side over the past decade, and the war was finally starting to see its end.

How it would end was uncertain, but the presence of Vale's King did nothing but make everyone feel uneasy due to his expertise in military strategy and phenomenal individual ability.

In a slightly uneasy voice, Wretch responded, "…Yes."

Echo released a tired sigh hearing this and smacked his hand to his forehead.

"I should've known…well I suppose it's not too bad since you didn't get caught."

Echo noticed as soon as he spoke that Wretch's body seemed to shiver in what seemed to be anxiety. He began to sweat and an audible *gulp* could be heard from his direction, causing Echo to narrow his eyes in mild suspicion.

"Wretch…is there something you'd like to share?"

Silence reigned as Wretch continued to sweat more nervously than before. This began to make Echo a bit more worried.

He snarled at Wretch's current behavior, annoyed with impatience and anxiety of his own.

"Wretch…what happened?"

There were a few more moments of tense silence before Wretch finally broke the quiet moment.

"He…Vale's king…knows about 'The Campaign'…"

"…"

Silence became dominant once more in Forever Falls as the two hunters stared into each other's eyes. Wretch looked pitiable as Echo's once tired looked transformed into something _furious!_

"Fuck!"

For the first time since Wretch knew him, Echo cussed in anger since he understood the repercussions of the current situation.

"How the hell did they find out?!"

Wretch gained a pissed look on his face as he tried to explain himself, "Don't blame me! They must've known I was suspicious from the start and hacked my scroll!"

"You had a good cover and solid background file. We were thorough with everything!" Echo spoke with narrowed eyes.

He then crossed his arms as he continued, "They must've spotting you sneaking around. You simply suck at infiltration. Don't try to cover your ass, and just admit it."

"Why the hell didn't you take my spot then you ninja-obsessed asshole? Your semblance is much more useful than mine for stealth missions." Wretch argued, feeling humiliated after having his abilities questioned.

Echo paused for a moment, agreeing mentally that his semblance was much more suited for stealth, but he was needed elsewhere. A muscle-head like Wretch had a pretty much _useless_ semblance when it came to intel gathering missions. Unfortunately, the better spies were stationed elsewhere and these two were both partners.

Echo rolled his eyes in annoyance, "I had other priorities. All you had to do was last a few months in Vale and gather intel, but you couldn't even do that."

Wretch did nothing further to explain himself, seeing it was pointless. He knew it was his fault. He was careless in his movements, and his actions were a bit obvious as he searched through Vale's database. Not only did he fail to collect anything, but they even _took_ significant information from him.

Information that could cost them the war if no changes were made.

A dark expression remained stagnant on Echo's face for a few moments, but was soon wiped away as he sighed in disappointment, stress, and many other negative feelings.

"This…is not good," He expressed with a pained expression, "We'll have to tell the higher ups about this, otherwise our campaign in Vacuo...will be bloody."

Wretch gave a terse nod, knowing that his fuck up is probably going to cost him his position, maybe even his life.

He was feeling extremely pissed and needed some sort of release.

That was when he started to feel thunderous footsteps in the distance, and could hear some trees topple as well.

This put a small smirk on his face as he thought, _Grimm…and a big one too…talk about perfect timing!_

Seeing the smile on Wretch's face, as well as hearing the same thing he was, he knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Wretch…we don't have time for this." Echo said with a shake of his head. "We need to report this as soon as possible."

"Don't have a stick up your ass," He said with a roll of his eyes, "I'll make it quick, and it's not like an hour or two will make any difference. We have plenty of time."

Echo was really starting to get tired of Wretch's attitude towards the situation, but he couldn't really fault the dumb brute. He's always had anger issues, and he was sure that this mess didn't help his current state of mind. He didn't want to hear his bitching the entire trip, so he guessed he could cut the over-sized hunter some slack.

Echo reluctantly gave in and said, "Fine, just don't waste too much time…I know how you get when you fight."

"Bah! Whatever Buzz-killington. I've got some Grimm to slay…and they're close. That's so sweet of 'em, making things easier on me!"

It took no longer than several minutes of sprinting before the two hid behind a tree to observe the unfortunate victims of Wretch's wrath.

When they saw the Grimm in the area, Echo couldn't help but say in surprise, "This is an unusually diverse group…two Boarbatusks, a Nevermore and- is that an Alpha Goliath?!"

Upon careful examination, Echo spotted that the Goliath was much larger than average and had more bone fragments, showing how aged this Grimm really was. In truth, it was his first time seeing one.

Wretch merely licked his lips in excited anticipation and said, "Yeah, to think we would found one out here. Goliath's shouldn't be in these parts, let alone an _Alpha_ Goliath! This is _definitely_ going to be a fun time!"

"Let me handle this on my own, Echo. I need this shit!" He stated before he began to stalk towards the herd of unusual Grimm.

Echo merely shook his head, "By all means, enjoy."

He didn't want to waste his energy on the Grimm, and wanted to see if Wretch would get his ass kicked. He was nowhere near as bloodthirsty as his partner was, and didn't enjoy wasteful activities like this. He decided to only help when it was necessary.

Wretch then leaked a small amount of killing intent that seemed to catch the attention of the Grimm as they stared in his direction with a menacing gaze.

He unfurled the axe from his back, taking a few practice swings in the process. He then rested it on his collarbone, standing with a proud, dominant pose. The Grimm before him seemed like nothing in his eyes, but a moving target to be preyed upon.

"Come on, Bitches," He smiled sinisterly before getting into a battle-ready stance, "Make my day!"

* * *

 **A/N: End of Chapter!**

We will be getting some action next chapter! Not the sexual kind…

So, do look forward to it! We are now getting more into the story and development.

I may add more to this chapter in the future, but we will see!

Please leave reviews to help me improve or just to support me! They are the best way to motivate me and to sharpen my writing skills. The biggest room in the world is 'Room for Improvement!' So, help a guy out!

~Stay Cool, but don't Freeze


	7. The Grimm Reality

**Update 3/1/2017: Added a Poll for Re: Grimm on my profile, so check it out!**

* * *

 **WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **A/N:** Thanks for everyone's support once again!

Here are some questions I will answer:

 **Q: Are Wretch and Echo Original Characters? (OCs?)**

 **A:** Yes, they are. I didn't base them off anyone, they were just in my head. If they bear any resemblance to a character from another anime/manga/novel/etc., it is coincidence. Do they have some important role in my story? Well, you will find out in the next couple of chapters, so I won't spoil!

 **Q: Is Karasuba a female?**

 **A:** All of the Grimm in my story are gender neutral, so while I may use the words he/she/it to describe them, there is no actual gender. But this also doesn't mean it will stay that way.

 **Q: Is 'Karasuba' supposed to be a reference to Sekirei?**

 **A:** Yes. You will find that a _lot_ of my Grimm will be in reference to something else, for example:

Pumbaa (The Lion King)

Gordy (The 1995 movie, 'Gordy')

Ganesha (Hindu Deity of intellect & wisdom)

Karasuba ('Karasuba' from Sekirei, and 'Iago' from Aladdin [Cracker part])

You will find that I like to throw random references in my story for people to find.

 **Q: Why that cliffhanger last chapter?!**

 **A:** Keeps the suspense in a story. You might hate me after this chapter as well if you're not a fan of cliff hangers…

 **Q: Is the 'Great War' & Vale's king Canon?**

 **A:** Yes. I've been using the 'World of Remnant' episodes as reference for the history. Though I do plan to change some things up a bit…

 **Q: Which new Grimm did you decide to choose?**

 **A:** Secret.

 **Q: Will Naruto have a human form? How about other Grimm?**

 **A:** I mentioned before that there will be pairings far in the future. All I will say to you guys is that I don't write about bestiality or animal romance. If you can't get the 'hint' from that, then I don't know what to tell ya.

 **Q: Why does it seem like you're dragging this story out? The last couple of chapters seemed like omakes or pointless extras.**

 **A:** Character development, mainly. Also, to leave behind some hints and foreshadowing for future chapters, so that when you guys look back on it, you will go 'Ooooh, now I get it'.

 **Q: What is the end goal for this story?**

 **A:** I won't spoil, but there will be a lot going on. For now, it is Naruto's adventuring and his quest to learn the truth about Grimm. I have a lot of ways I can take this story, and I plan to do so in a way that fits nicely.

 **Q: Some time has passed…Why is it still "82 years before Canon"?**

 **A:** Indeed, some time has passed, but all of this is still happening in that '82nd' year before canon. This means that only days, weeks, and months have passed, not years. The next time skip will be after this arc.

That's all for questions!

This chapter was tough, but I finally finished it! It is a sign for some important things to come.

I hope you guys look forward to it!

 **Also, I may go back to add more into this chapter in the future (or change somethings)**

"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech

 _In Oum I Trust-_ \- Normal thought

 _"In Oum I Trust"_ \- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

*Sigh*- Action

In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance

 **"In Oum I Trust"** \- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech

 _ **In Oum I Trust**_ _-_ Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought

 _ **"In Oum I Trust"**_ \- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Grimm Reality**

 **-82 years before Canon-**

 _It's been a while since I've had some time to myself. It feels…strange._

Naruto laid on the branch of the largest Crimson tree he could find. He separated from his herd briefly to give himself time to recover from his hangover. He supposed even Grimm can't escape the effects of alcohol.

He found times like this, where he is by himself, to be very relaxing in comparison to how hectic things have gotten lately. He was beginning to enjoy his experience in this world despite how things started for him. Eating humans were still something he had difficulty grasping, but he seemed to have adapted for the most part.

This wasn't to say he _enjoyed_ doing it. It was more he just began to tolerate this new habit, while still looking for a possible, alternate, dietary solution.

His eyes were shut with his tails hanging off the edge, blowing with every passing breeze. Naruto was thankful that Grimm still retained the basic senses like sight, hearing, & touch. It reminded him that he was more than a cold, unfeeling monster that humanity had labeled him and his kind as.

Outside of his recovery, he took the time to bask in his surroundings until he started to feel…lonely.

 _I really must have gotten attached to those guys…who woulda thought, huh?_

The travels with his herd had never been a quiet one, but Naruto never hated it. Even when he yipped or hollered, he always had a smile hang on his face. Things were more fun with them around, so much that he found it difficult to imagine being apart from them for too long. Not to mention he was always learning something new from them, with his most recent discovery being Karasuba and Grimm abilities.

A small frown appeared on his face at the thought, _I've still found nothing…I wonder if I even_ have _an ability…_

Naruto didn't just slack off during his travels with the herd. At every opportunity, and even while he was moving around, he had tried to come up with ways to bring out his ability. The problem, however, was he didn't even know where to start.

He couldn't ask the other Grimm for help because to them, they just 'knew' what their ability was without having to think about it.

Naruto didn't want to believe that he was incapable of having an ability, but so far…things weren't looking to promising for him.

His silent frustration was broken when he heard a loud crash occur against the tree he was resting on, causing him to become alert of his surroundings.

When he looked to the source he found a familiar avian Grimm looking to him for attention, but that wasn't the first thing Naruto had noticed. It was slightly fractured mask and body littered with scars that captured his notice.

*Caw!* *Caw!*

Naruto broke his stare from Karasuba's injuries to give the bird his attention. It was repeating 'Help!', 'Trouble!', and other things similar in nature over and over.

Naruto wasn't an idiot. Taking in the knowledge of Karasuba's injuries and pleading, he had a bad feeling about his herd. He began to scowl as a dark feeling began to rise within him that he hadn't felt for a long while.

It was unbridled _rage!_

With gritted canines and restrained anger, he asked Karasuba, "What happened? Who did this to you!"

Karasuba looked very pained as it tried to speak, but still managed to respond clearly with a series of 'Caws'.

" _Huntsmen!"_ Naruto growled outwardly at the thought.

Throughout their journey, Naruto had managed to avoid any confrontation with huntsmen, simply due to the fact he still had a soft spot for humans. It was near impossible _not_ to if you consider him being an ex-human himself.

He was well aware of common huntsmen practices, and knew that they eagerly hunted Grimm to 'save the world', but their activity was less common now because of the ongoing war. He never thought they would go out of their way to hunt Grimm out in Forever Falls.

 _I know my herd would never attack them without my permission, so why would they actively hunt them when there is a war at stake?_

Naruto decided that now was perhaps not the best time to be questioning motives. If Karasuba's appearance was anything to go by, then this could mean that his herd was not faring very well. He could only hope they could hold out long enough for him to arrive.

" _Rest here for now, Karasuba. I'm going to head back now! Come join once you've recovered more."_

*Caw…*

While the Nevermore may not be the brightest in the bunch, it was certainly better than the average Grimm at this stage in terms of intelligence. It understood how dire the current situation was and wanted to be there for its Alpha, but it also understood its own limitations.

With reluctance, it agreed to Naruto's demands, but also planned to assist once it recovered enough from its injuries.

Seeing its acceptance, Naruto nodded and sprinted in the direction to where he last left his herd.

 _Hold on guys…I hope I'm not too late._

* * *

 _*_ _ **Grawooo!***_

"Gah!"

Ganesha released a roaring trumpet as it whipped its armored trunk against a bulky huntsman. It was powerful enough to knock the man tens of feet into the distance, tearing down some trees in the process.

Unfortunately, this moment of success was short-lived as the man appeared in the clearing once more, panting lightly with a grin on his face.

*pant* *pant*

"Hah~, this is just what I needed!" The man sighed in content.

Ganesha looked at the man with wary eyes as it took in his appearance. Outside of a few tears in his clothing and some scratches on his skin, he looked completely unharmed. In fact, he seemed to _enjoy_ the fight so far.

While the man held little signs of fatigue and damage, Ganesha's situation was far from comfortable. Pain was evident in its eyes as new scars littered its body and the plating that shielded its body had been fractured all over.

Though it was breathing heavy, this was not due to exhaustion. The physiology of Grimm pretty much gifted the dark race of being's limitless stamina.

The creatures of Grimm, however, could still feel pain. This meant they dealt with the same repercussions any human would feel if they were hurt. If a leg was broken, there would be a crippling limp. If an eye was gouged, they would become blind.

And presently, Ganesha was enduring the brunt of the damage since the huntsmen seemed to have an eye out for it.

Not too far from Ganesha, the two Boarbatusks could be seen nursing their own injuries, attempting to recover from their own bouts with the experienced hunter.

Pumbaa was still lying on the ground, finding the act of standing to be near impossible, while Gordy stood in front of him in a low, protective stance.

Ganesha had long ago realized that _he_ was the primary target of this hunt, so he remained as their shield and redirected damage onto him. He stood over them with his trunk swinging in a threatening manner, hoping to create some distance from the man before it.

Perhaps if he didn't have to protect the boars, he would've put up a stronger fight against the hunter. But lately, Ganesha had begun to feel something _strange_ deep within his very being. He wasn't sure what to call it, but he felt this sudden urge to protect his herd.

When he was the Alpha of his own herd in the past, he held no such feelings before. To Grimm, it was survival of the fittest; if one Grimm died, the rest moved on without a care. But now…it felt _inclined_ to protect them. When it saw the Boarbatusks try to fight the hunter off earlier to help him, it felt a sharp pain in the pit of its stomach as it watched the man proceed to hammer them with multiple strikes of the fist and cut into their flesh with the blade of his weapon.

It was when the man cut the last remaining tusk from Gordy that made the Goliath go into a fit of rage and manage a successful attack on the hunter while he was _enthralled_ in his torture session with the Boarbatusks.

 _Karasuba should be with our Alpha now,_ thought Ganesha as he continued to stare the hunter down in intimidation.

Karasuba was the first to be attacked when the huntsmen first appeared. Being well-versed in combat with Grimm, they understood that avian Grimm are the most troublesome since they would take the fight into the air. While that may not be a problem for experienced huntsmen like them, it still made things troublesome and time-consuming overall.

Ganesha managed to stop the Nevermore's beating early and directed it to go found their Alpha, hoping that Naruto would be able to make it back in time to make their situation more favorable.

Seeing how vigilant the Alpha Goliath stood over the Boarbatusks, a slim-figured huntsman that had been hiding in the back narrowed his eyes in wary observation. He had been watching his partner, Wretch, fighting the Grimm for what seemed like an hour now, and he found the movements of the Grimm suspicious and abnormal.

 _These Grimm are different,_ He mused in deep concentration.

 _They seem too organized…_

"Wretch…don't waste too much time with these Grimm." Spoke Echo in a stern tone.

Said man was currently brushing the dirt and grass off his clothes, and sent him an annoyed glance, "What? You think these fucks got anything on me? In case you've been blind so far, I've been kicking their ass!"

"Don't get cocky! Have you not been paying attention to the Grimm? They've been acting weird for a while now. They're _much_ too coordinated and controlled!"

Hearing this, Wretch paused and gained a more attentive look on his face.

"What're ya tryin' to say, Echo?"

"These Grimm are _sentient_ , you retard! If they were idiots like you, they would've kept attacking."

Echo then paused as he stared in the direction of Ganesha and the Boarbatusks as he continued, "So why aren't they? Grimm attack _all_ humans, for no rhyme orreason! Yet they're still…as if they're wait-"

Echo then stopped as he reached some sort of epiphany and turned Wretch with a scathing look, "Hey, where the hell is the Nevermore?"

"I don't know," Wretch appeared confused for a moment, scratching his head in response, "Now that you mention it, where did that bitch go?"

"You fuckin' idiot! The Grimm are stalling!" Roared Echo in response, "Use your brain for once and think! These Grimm have done _nothing_ but stall for time. That Goliath isn't the _real_ alpha, and that Nevermore just left to get him!"

 _A group of Sentient Grimm?!_ Thought Wretch loudly in his mind.

If it were only one intelligent Grimm, then perhaps this may not have been a big deal.

But for there to be a pack of sentient Grimm…that was simply unheard of.

Rather than becoming worried, Wretch couldn't help but smile widely at the revelation.

 _I'm one lucky sonuva bitch!_

Seeing this smile, Echo couldn't help his frown from deepening further.

"Wretch, we don't know how dangerous the Alpha of this group is. It was powerful enoughto make even an Alpha Goliath submit to it…we can't afford to play around any longer."

*Tch!*

Wretch couldn't help but click his tongue in irritation. Even though he understood that the situation was a bit dangerous, he still wanted to enjoy it to the fullest. While Echo was the careful and witty one of the two, Wretch was more headstrong and true to his desires, no matter how sickening they may be.

He loved violence, slavery, torture, and sex. Even more so, he _loved_ when those things were combined.

He was among the lowest, and most degenerate of humanity, and enjoyed the sins in life. In his mind, things like virtue and honor were for the petty and stuck-up assholes.

"Fuck off, Echo!" Wretch exclaimed, having enough of his partners bitching.

"I can handle these shits, _and_ whatever is in charge of them!"

"You're making a mistake…" Echo spoke solemnly, turning away as if to forsake his partner to his impending fate.

 _And I'll be damned if I get you out of the shit you willingly stepped in._

Ignoring this statement, Wretch grabbed a tight hold of his axe as he moved towards the stationary Grimm, "You better give it your all! Otherwise your boss is going to come back to nothing but corpses!"

Sparked by this statement, Gordy charged from behind Ganesha wildly towards the target of his hate.

Wretch smiled as he swung his axe back, "Come on, piggy!"

" _Ganesha…Sling…Shot!"_ Grunted Gordy in the direction of the Goliath as he continued his charge to the huntsman.

Ganesha nodded as Gordy then began to transform his normal charge into a rollout.

Expecting this, Wretch kept his axe held back until Gordy came near. Once he was close enough, he swung the flat-side of his axe until it impacted with the bone plating of the boar's skull, making a sickening *crunch* resound through the air.

"FOOOOORE!" Yelled Wretch with a sinister smile as he watched the balled-up boar go flying in the direction of Ganesha.

However, Wretch didn't realize that both Gordy and Ganesha wanted this to happen.

Ganesha caught the flying Gordy with his trunk, and then used the momentum to send him flying back in the huntsman's direction like a slingshot.

The speed of this rebound was too quick for his reflexes, as he was soon smash by the curled Boarbatusk and sent flying through the crimson forestry once more.

As Echo watched on, he muttered, "They planned this…"

It was a crude, and suicidal plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.

 _The Grimm must've realized that normal methods of attack won't work on him, so they used a double-edged sword to catch him off guard…_

While Gordy and Ganesha did manage to hit the hunter, it was not without repercussions. Gordy had to endure excruciating pain two times: One when the Axe first slammed him, and the other from when he crashed into the huntsman. Parts of the plating had completely fallen off Gordy's body and cracks were visible on its skull. He was hurt badly, and would likely have to abstain for the remainder of the fight.

To say Echo was impressed would be an understatement. He had never heard of Grimm that could strategize and work together like he had just seen. It caught not only Wretch off guard, but him as well.

 _Sucks for them,_ Echo thought with a slightly annoyed frown, _that guy won't get hurt so easily. His semblance makes that impossible._

Echo had to admit that the Grimm's slingshot plan would've succeeded in damaging him if he were in his partner's place, but Wretch had a semblance that ignored crude tactics like that.

Bursting from the toppled trees and torn earth, Wretch roared, "You shits! It'll take more than that to hurt me!"

He ran towards Ganesha in a charge and chopped towards him with his axe.

Ganesha was far more experienced in battle with huntsman, however, and managed to block the action with his tusk.

*BOOOM*

The impact between the Axe and Ganesha's tusk produced a small shockwave to the surroundings. This was due to the axe being enhanced with Earth dust prior to the fight, while the Goliath had unnatural durability due to its Alpha form.

"Heh! I knew you could dish it out!"

He then jumped back, dodging the armored trunk that swung in his direction, nearly clipping him a couple of times.

One he was a safe distance away, Wretch rotated the revolver chamber that was attached to the shoulder of his axe until it switched to a light blue dust.

He approached Ganesha once more, dodging the swipes of its trunk as he smashed the ground near its foot with the axe.

Normally this kind of attack would rupture the earth, but the effect of dust produced a very different reaction. Instead, a large block of ice exploding from the impact zone and engulfed Ganesha's left leg and a portion of its body, trapping its movements.

The sudden biting cold it felt caused it to cry out, which also gave the huntsman an opening.

He revolved he chamber once more until it showed red dust, and proceeded to swing his axe into the side of Ganesha. The blade buried into its side for a moment, until the red dust finally took effect and exploded, causing a deep, singeing gash to appear along its ribcage.

" _ **Grawooo!"**_

The Impact of the explosion freed Ganesha from its icy prison, but not without consequences. The sudden explosion from its position caused its leg to break in the process, limiting his movement for the remainder of the battle to three legs.

This was a crippling scenario for the aged Grimm, and it knew it.

"DIE!"

Wretch gave Ganesha no time of reprieve as he went for the killing blow, chopping his axe toward the thick neck of the Goliath.

But as he pulled the axe back, he saw Pumbaa tackling towards his side from the corner of his eye. In response, he jerked to the side and Grabbed the boar's tusk, and proceeded to swing him into Ganesha, causing a large impact that forced the Goliath to take a few steps back in recoil, as Pumbaa flew tens of feet away into the distance.

"Hah hah! I never had this much fun fighting Grimm before! Man, I love a Grimm that has alotta fight in 'em!"

" _Then you'll love me!"_

"Huh?"

Hearing a loud series of 'yips' or 'barks' made Wretch turn around in surprise to see a black blur appear in front of him for instant, then vanished, but not before leaving him a small gift in the process.

Not expecting this action, the attack succeeded and allowed three claw marks to cleave into his flesh at the base of his neck. The attack wasn't fatal, but harrowing if left untreated.

"GAHHH! FUUUUCK!"

He roared in pain as he clenched his neck to stop the bleeding, dropping his axe in the process.

"Oum damn it! Echo! Why didn't you tell me there was another one nearby?!"

While the huntsman recovered from his fresh injury, the blurred figure appeared before its fellow Grimm and called out, _"Are you guys ok?!"_

Ganesha turned its focus from the powerful human to the small figure in front of him, and seemed to relax as it realized that its Alpha was now here.

" _We're alive, Alpha…but hurt very badly. We won't last much longer if this keeps up."_

He examined the injuries his herd members possessed…and he wasn't happy with what he saw.

Naruto cursed inwardly, thinking, _I never should've separated from them._

All he wanted was a little space and time to recover. He never thought a situation like this would pop up, and would almost cost him the lives of his herd.

He turned to look at the huntsmen in the distance and quietly thought of the current circumstances with barely restrained rage.

 _Only the muscle guy seems injured while that other guy seems pretty distant…_

Just by looking at their appearances, he could tell that Wretch was the only man who fought…but Naruto was more attentive of the guy behind him.

 _He's been watching the fight this entire time…he's no doubt begun to learn the weaknesses of my herd and prepared for the worst-case scenario. I'll have to be cautious with him…_

 _But first,_ he then returned his glare back to the barbaric man with a large axe, _I have a score to settle…_

* * *

Echo had been ignoring the shouts of his partner as he took in the appearance of the new entry. He, too, hadn't noticed the appearance of the small Grimm. It appeared out of nowhere and moved too quickly for either him or Wretch to react.

If Echo had his semblance active, then noticing the small figure wouldn't have been a problem…but the fact that he couldn't even _see_ the movement showed how difficult handling this Grimm was going to be.

He had never seen a Grimm like this, so he was much more concerned than before. It was small and possessed the trademark bone mask that most Grimm possessed. What made it look different from a normal fox was the pitch-black fur and two tails that could be seen protruding from its rear, along with smaller bone plating along the sides of its legs.

He continued to watch as the strange foxlike Grimm communicated with the other Grimm in yips, and the surrounding Grimm seemed to respond with nods or grunts of their own.

"FUUUCK! Echo, what was that?!"

Echo slowly turned to the hollering Wretch and spoke in a hushed tone, "You got what you wanted, Wretch. It seems their _Alpha_ has arrived."

"Alpha? Where?"

Setting aside the pain for the moment, he looked in the direction of the Grimm he had been fighting with, and saw the foxy new entry.

He stared blankly for a few moments before…

"Heh…Heh heh…"

A low chuckle was muttered under his breath as it seemed to progress, and evolved into something akin to a howl of laughter.

"Hah…Haha…Ahah! HAHAHA!"

"Echo, you're telling me _that_ ," He then pointed to the direction of the small kit and laughed out, _"_ fuckin' small fry is their _Alpha?_ You _got_ to be shitting me! Haha!"

Echo then sent him a look that could melt stone, "Did you already forget that this _small fry_ carved into your collarbone? And look…"

He then tilted his head in the direction of the fox Grimm, which directed Wretch to look at the supposed Alpha once more.

What he saw was the fox _directing_ the herd of unusual Grimm with yips. Once it was done, the Grimm seemed to make some sort of protective formation for each other, with only the fox standing on the frontlines. This caused Wretch to stop laughing and adopt a more serious look in his eyes.

Noticing the shift in Wretch's countenance, Echo continued, "He is _commanding_ them, Wretch. That Grimm is intelligent, and if we go by a fox's nature, then that means its mischievous…"

He paused as he sent the fox a glare of undeterred focus.

"…and cunning."

Wretch nodded in response, agreeing with Echo's words. His partner was the smarter one, so he knew to listen to him when the time called for it. He also noticed something else about the Grimm as he stared into its eyes.

"Hey, Echo…Grimm don't normally have slit pupils like that…do they?"

"…No…"

"…I thought so…who woulda thought we would find so many weird Grimm in one area."

They both noticed that unlike the average Grimm who had pupil-less eyes…this fox was different. Behind those eyes, they could sense intelligence and _emotion_ that were produced in waves. All of which were negative and hostile…and were focused on _them._

"Kill it, Wretch." Echo began with a terse tone, "That one needs to go first, otherwise things will get more troublesome."

"And you aren't going to help out…why?" Wretch responded with unhidden irritation.

"You dug yourself into this hole. Find your way out of it. Besides…"

He then sent his partner a smirk that screamed of dark, playfulness.

"…I thought you could handle it?"

"Hah! Fuck you then!" He yelled in response at the challenge.

"But," He paused before grinning, "I feel like this Grimm is worth _studying_ …If I capture this Grimm, I bet I can save my ass from when I get back to report about the mission."

Echo said nothing in response, and opted to watch the fight continue. He knew the capture of this Grimm may not change their fate, but it would definitely do more good than harm. He couldn't help but feel hopeful since their situation was so…dare he say, _Grimm._

 _Ugh,_ he thought inside his mind, reflecting on what he just said.

 _That pun was bad and I should_ feel _bad…I pray that no one else makes terrible jokes like this in the future…_

* * *

 **Sometime in Canon Timeline**

"Hah…AH~..."

*ACHOOOO!*

"Woah, that was loud! You all right, Yang?"

"*sniff*…yeah Ruby…It's probably just some guys talkin' about my tits again."

"Ewww! That's gross, Yang! What makes you think that?!"

"Oooh Ruby…When it comes to guys, _Mama_ knows 'Breast'!"

"…"

"Ah? Did ya get it? Huh Ruby?"

"…please stop."

* * *

 **Back in Forever Falls**

*shiver*

 _I feel like I just jinxed myself…well, no matter…_

He then watched as the fox began to charge towards Wretch with accelerating speed.

 _Looks like the fun is about to start…_

* * *

"Heh heh, see this scar you little shit?!" Wretch then proceeded to point to the claw marking on his collarbone in shaking exaggeration as he approached the attacking fox.

"I'm gonna return the favor!"

As the fox charged towards him, Wretch swung the axe horizontally, hoping to do leave a similar scar on its neck. Unfortunately, he wasn't dealing with the simpleminded creatures of Grimm he was normally accustomed to.

In a nimble act of speed and flexibility, Naruto saw the slash and leaped above the cut while wrapping his tail around the haft of the axe.

As Wretch pulled the axe back, he failed to notice fox that was attached to his axe, giving Naruto the opportunity to claw towards his next once more…but this time, Naruto aimed to kill.

 _This is for hurting my herd!_

Time seemed to slow as Naruto's claw finally connected with the man's neck, but Naruto immediately felt that something was off.

 _I can't cut him!_

Just as Naruto thought, he felt the claw that was close to piercing the man's carotid artery suddenly smash against what felt like a wall. What was weird was how the area around his neck was now…gray?

During this momentary lapse of shock, Wretch was given the opportunity to understand the situation and grabbed Naruto by the tail in anger and swung him against a nearby tree.

With Naruto's reflexes, he moved his body so that he would coil around the base of the tree by grappling it with his claws and slowing his momentum, rather than slam against it.

"You shit! You thought you could do the same thing?! Well, let me enlighten your tiny brain!" He spat in anger.

"My aura is a bit different from regular aura. In order to use it, I _have_ to activate my semblance."

Wretch then pointed to his chest as _aura_ around him surged into his skin, making the skin all over his body turn gray in the process.

"My semblance allows me to harden my aura to something _beyond_ even the toughest of steel! I've taken point-blank gunfire, missiles, and stabs straight to my fuckin' head! In other words, I'm invincible! HAHAHA!"

Echo, who heard this, couldn't help but sigh in thought.

 _But it also drains his aura_ incredibly _fast._

It was true that his semblance made him pretty much unkillable while active, but this period of 'invincibility' was short-lived.

His ability was powerful, but dangerous as well. Normal people would naturally have a cloak of aura surround themselves, but Wretch's semblance made that impossible. His semblance and aura worked hand-in-hand, so he _had_ to activate it consciously every time he wants to use it protectively.

That's why Naruto managed to scar him beforehand. As long as he feels safe, or his guard isn't up, he won't activate his semblance…and that was the time to strike.

And it took only Naruto a few moments to figure this out.

 _That idiot,_ mused the foxy Grimm, _I just need to make him feel like he won…but I can't make it obvious._

* * *

From that point on, a series of clashes formed between him and Wretch, as they continued their onslaught of attacks. The Grimm in the distance watched with rapt attention as Echo observed from afar.

The Grimm were told to remain back and recover from their wounds earlier when Naruto was giving out commands. If Naruto was going to need their help later, he wanted to have them in decent enough shape to fight.

After some time, Echo noticed that Naruto's movements seemed to slow a bit, and how it seemed to make more openings for Wretch to exploit. It seemed _planned_ to Echo, and he couldn't help but show his respect for the nimble Grimm. It literally danced circles around his friend who relied only on his strength to gain the upper hand.

And like a fish hooked on a line, Wretch was baited into those movements. What was strange, however, was that the fox would _lose_ during those baited exchanges.

 _Strange,_ thought Echo as he saw the fox lure Wretch into another set of moves before it 'narrowly' escaped his partner's attack.

 _The Grimm is leading Wretch by the nose, yet it hasn't take advantage of it. It just keeps acting like it almost got hit or is in trouble. Why is-_

His eyes then widened at the sudden revelation, _He knows his weakness…Shit, I knew it was smart, but to think it could even understand what Wretch was saying about his semblance…we were careless!_

Just as Echo thought, Naruto was 'pretending' it was getting weaker and was clumsy, in order to incite the axe-wielding hunter to attack and feel dominant. At the same time, he was also exhausting his use of aura.

 _It's trying to make an opening…but when?_

This scene continued for a few more times, and he knew something had to be done before the worst-case scenario could happen.

 _Looks like I'll need to step in a bit after all…_

It was then Echo finally activated his semblance and…

* * *

"Hold still you little…!"

*BOOOM!*

Wretch had swung the axe downwards once more, aiming to kill the twin-tailed kit who was proving to be a nuisance.

Naruto dodged 'narrowly' once again has he slid across the ground on his back, haggard in appearance.

 _I think it's about time to end this…_

Naruto's plan was proceeding just as he had thought it would so far. Naruto knew that Wretch's ability didn't come without a price. He found it funny how he just proclaimed what his semblance was.

 _He looks down on Grimm…_

Thinking this, Naruto used this to his advantage and decided to play 'possum' with the gullible man before him.

It sounded simple in theory, but it was much more difficult in practice. To dodge Wretch's attacks by a hair's breadth and act like he was desperate was tiring…but it was seeing positive results.

Wretch was becoming cocky and overconfident, and soon…that would be his downfall.

Naruto dodged another strike of the axe, and he proceeded to 'tumble' on the ground, 'struggling' to stand.

He then spotted from the corner of his eye a hand approach his neck like pliers.

 _It's time!_

And as he planned, Naruto let the man grab at his neck in full force, with Naruto choking in the process.

 _Kuh! He's got a strong grip...Now, it's time to act!_

Naruto then began to struggle out of the man's grasp, clawing at his arms and nipping at the air, but it was for naught.

Seeing this, Wretch couldn't help but to release a loud laugh in victory!

"Haha! I finally caught your filthy ass! 'Bout damn time, too!"

He long since noticed that his aura reserves were dropping into critical zones, and knew he needed to end the fight quickly. Otherwise who would have to call Echo over for help.

 _And I'll be damned if I call that ass over for help!_

Looking at the fox in his hands, he couldn't help but grin, "You were a fun lil' fuck, I'll give ya that much. But playtime's over, and you're comin' with us."

Naruto continued to kick in 'desperation' and growled at the man in response.

"Haha! It's useless! I've got an iron grip, ya know? So, cut the shit and make it easy on me, will ya?"

Naruto then closed his eyes in what appeared to be submission, as he stopped his struggling and whimpered. Seeing this, Wretch smiled.

"Hah! Just like the fox you are, you're nothing but a coward in the end!"

Wretch then finally deactivated his semblance and turned in the direction of Echo and yelled, "Hey Echo! I finally got the bastard! I'm satisfied, so we can finally leave this place."

What Wretch failed to realize, was Naruto had one eye slightly cracked open, observing the brute and his actions.

And once he saw him deactivate his semblance, Naruto finally acted.

 _Don't underestimate me, bitch!_

Naruto then swiped his claws at the throat of Wretch with menacing force and extreme precision. Moments after, he was soon bathed in a rain of blood that spurted from the open wound, as Wretch choked on the red liquid until he was silenced…once and for all.

At least, that was what Naruto _envisioned_.

The truth, however, was more than a bit disappointing…it was _worst_ case scenario…

 _But…how?_

Naruto's astonishment was easy to understand, seeing as the claw that was supposed to pierce into the man's throat, thus ending his life, was once again stopped by the greyed skin.

 _I know I had him convinced…his reflexes aren't great either…so how?_

"Hehe…looks like you were right, Echo! The lil' bastard _was_ fakin' it!"

 _Echo…?_

Naruto then turned his direction to the only other huntsman in the area, and saw that the man had his hand cupping his mouth, as if he were about to whisper a secret.

 _Him…? But how? I didn't hear anything._

Wretch saw the despaired look in the fox's eyes and laughed, "Hah! I know exactly what your thinkin'. Well, my friend there's semblance made it possible. He could send messages from far away thanks to it! It's-"

"Enough, Wretch! I don't need you sharing my semblance with _that_ Grimm! In case you don't remember, that's how he figured out your weakness!"

The man then scratched the back of his head and said, "Ah, yeah…well, whatever. It turned out ok in the end, right?"

Echo then crossed his arms and said in a mocking tone, "Yes…because _I_ intervened, mister _'I can handle it!'_ "

"Heh…and who was it that said they wouldn't help out, huh?"

Echo didn't bother to respond to this and said, "Just hurry it up. We have to leave, and we wasted too much time fighting these Grimm. Let's get out of here."

The man then sighed with a wave of his hand and said, "Yeah, Yeah, I'm comin."

While this conversation was going on, Naruto continued to curse, _I was careless! I was too focused on the muscle head and forgot about his partner…shit…_

As Naruto began to think about how he could resolve his current crisis, he heard a loud grunt in the distance.

"Oh? What's that?"

Hearing the same grunt, Wretch turned to the side and saw the ridiculous scene of a Boarbatusk charging toward him with a limp in its step.

 _Gordy! What're you doing!_

*yip* *yip*

To the ears of Wretch, Naruto was just barking nonsense, but Gordy could understand clearly what Naruto was saying.

" _Must…save…aniki…"_

While suffering serious injuries, Gordy had spent the most time recovering in comparison to the other herd members. They, too, wanted to get up and help, but both suffered major injuries to their legs, making it extremely difficult to move.

"Huh…so the pig's still alive, eh?"

Since his semblance was still active, he didn't bother to block the charge of Gordy, especially since its tusks were gone. He stood there and took the impact of Gordy, and remained still in the process.

Gordy, however, had its skull fractured further from the attack. Its mask was already fractured from its last battle with the huntsman, so it shattered easily as a result.

But despite this fact and the pain it was feeling, it continued to move its legs, hoping the man would let go of his Alpha.

"Oi," Frowned Wretch as he observed the pointless push of the Boarbatusk, "You're just wasting your time. I was nice enough to let you go, but ya had to be stupid, huh?"

He then lifted a leg and punted Gordy in the gut, sending him a short distance away.

"Do all you Grimm think I'm some kinda pushover? Just fuck off already."

As Wretch turned around, walking to his partner with a fox Grimm in his grip, he felt another push against his backside.

A tic mark appeared above the brow of Wretch as he muttered, "Ya know…you're _really_ starting to piss me off."

In response, Gordy only continued to grunt…but Naruto understood exactly what his friend was saying.

" _Save…aniki…must…help aniki…"_

" _Gordy…"_

The gesture touched Naruto, but he couldn't stand to watch the current scenario unfold before him. As Naruto continued watching Gordy, he saw Wretch turn and proceed to step on the neck of the Boarbatusk, allowing a high pitched *squeeel* to resound through the forest.

"You piece of shit…and people wonder why I'm never nice…because it's pointless!"

" _Gordy!"_

*Yip* *yip*

Wretch then turned to the fox in his hand, and saw that it struggled to escape with new vigor and hate in its eyes...which made the hunter feel excited.

"Hah…I knew there was more to you than I thought…don't tell me you actually _care_ about this weak, fat, sack of shit?"

Hearing Naruto's snarl was all the evidence he needed as he snorted in derision.

"To think a _Grimm_ would care about something…This world's gone to shit if even dumb beasts can have feelings."

Wretch then looked back to the Boarbatusks that continued to squeal beneath his foot, and raised the axe he held in his other hand high in the air.

"Allow me to teach you the way Remnant works, you naïve little Grimm. The strong…"

" _Don't!"_ Naruto barked to the man, but this cry went unheard as his axe began to descend on upon the trapped boar.

"…Devour the WEAK!"

With those last words, the axe chopped down onto the base of Gordy's neck, beheading him.

Everything was silent as Naruto looked into the dull eyes of his first traveling companion. A Grimm he had grown fond of during his journeys, and one he felt was becoming a part of something _more_ than a member of his herd…it was a _family_.

He continued to stare listlessly as the Boarbatusk's corpse began to dissipate into dark particles of dust that continued to rise into the air, and was blown away by the unforgiving wind.

It wasn't long after before the body completely decomposed and vanished, yet not a sound was made.

It remained this way a few moments…before a high-pitched squeal could be heard in the direction of Naruto's herd.

*SQUEEEEEL!*

Untold pain could be heard in this cry as Pumbaa continued to mourn over his long-time brother and friend. For the first time, it felt unimaginable rage and depression, not knowing that it reached a new stage of its growth due to its suffering.

It wasn't the only one to react, as Ganesha began to trumpet in anger for the loss of one of its comrades, finally having a taste of _emotions_ for the first time…and it wasn't pleasant.

Wretch, however, enjoyed the racket. He had never heard of a Grimm _cry_ before. This was _definitely_ going to be a story worth telling.

'Wretch. The man who was cruel enough to make a Grimm cry'…he liked the sound of that.

"To think Grimm were this pathetic…are you not going to cry too?"

He then turned the fox in his direction, only to see a line of black tears stream from its eyes. Wretch could feel the waves of hate practically pouring from the fox's skin…but rather than make him feel afraid, he was _elated!_

"Hah! You really are crying! To think Grimm were such puss-"

*Shunk!* *Shunk!*

"…huh?"

Wretch was about to insult the fox further, before he felt a sharp pain stab into his heart…twice.

 _But that can't be right…I have my semblance active!_

Not believing the pain he was experiencing, he looked to witness a sight that made him believe he was having some sort of nightmare.

It was what appeared to be two elongated bones protruding from the fox Grimm's tails, stabbing directly into his heart in two different places. What made the appearance more ominous was the black glow that seemed to surround the bones and the area he was stabbed.

"Guhah!"

He coughed up blood in the process as he soon began to feel a burning sensation throughout his entire body. It felt like he was slowly being dipped into lava, and he remained conscious enough to feel every fiber and cell of his body being burned away into nothingness.

The last thing he heard was a growl from the fox he once held in his hands, before his thoughts and life faded to black.

He would never get the opportunity to understand what killed him, and the last words the Grimm uttered in a growl before his demise.

" _All-Killing Dust Bones!"_

* * *

 **A/N: End of Chapter!**

Sorry for the cliff hanger…I know…I just _had_ to do it…didn't?

I won't comment on anything for this chapter, and allow everything to soak in for you guys. Things get interesting next chapter, and will be the last part of Naruto's fight with the Huntsmen...well, Hunts **MAN** now.

I will only say this…yes, Gordy is dead. And no, Naruto will not be OP just because he discovered this ability. This will be explained in future chapters.

 **Next Release:** I am super busy in March, so I can't make any promises. So all I can say is that April is when you can probably expect the next chapter.

Please leave reviews to help me improve or just to support me! They are the best way to motivate me and to sharpen my writing skills. The biggest room in the world is 'Room for Improvement!'

So, help a guy out!

~Stay Cool, but don't Freeze


	8. The End of the Beginning

**WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **A/N:** Thanks for everyone's support once again! Sorry about that update yesterday! I was just deleting my old 'Update' Chapter. I forgot it notifies the readers...so sorry! But I did that because I planned to release the new chapter today!

Here are some questions I will answer:

 **Q: What took you so long to update? It's passed your promised date.**

 **A:** My apologies guys, but while I do enjoy writing, I do have my priorities. I'm busy working right now, so my schedule is pretty full. It's a job that does require me to travel, so access to computer is limited. Please understand that I need to support myself and my family, and unfortunately, I don't get paid to write.

This is more of an enjoyable hobby for me, and though some people have asked me to make a _account_ to support me, I will have to turn that down for now (unfortunately). If money was donated to me, I would feel obligated to write even when I have no time for it, as well as provide perks I am incapable of doing (e.g. earlier releases, chapters ahead of time, etc.). I don't really want that kind of pressure, since I won't be able to guarantee a quality chapter when I'm rushed. I prefer to write with freedom and w/o worry of time and quality constraints. (Plus, I'm not too clear on copyright laws and profiting from fanfiction. I say it's better to avoid the case altogether.)

Maybe when I gather my life a little better in the future, it will be something to consider…but I simply don't have the time or capability to open one, so please understand. Sorry!

 **Q: Why give Naruto 'All-Killing Dust Bones' for an ability?**

 **A:** I understand not many were happy with this decision, but I was. I wanted Naruto to have an ability that came from his body, like how a Nevermore shoots feathers. And yes, I changed the name from 'All-Killing _Ash_ bones' to 'All-Killing _Dust_ bones'. It seemed more fitting for the story.

 **Q: Is Naruto now OP?**

 **A:** He is powerful, but not OP. There is always a price for power, and I'm not making this an unrealistic fantasy where he can dish out a one-shot kill technique as easy as breathing. There will be struggles and training necessary, which you will see in the coming chapters, and new Arc. Struggles tend to make stories more interesting…for some people.

Will he be OP by the _end_ of the story? Perhaps.

 **Q: Why Gordy?!**

 **A:** Death is a part of growth, so Gordy became that unfortunate sacrifice for Naruto to improve. Let me give a fair warning though. He was the first, but that doesn't mean he will be the last…

 **Q: Is there a connection between the Grimm in your story and 'Hollows' from Bleach?**

 **A:** Yes. What that connection is, however, will remain a mystery. I won't be using the same terminology used in bleach, but I do share similar concepts and ideas

 **Q: How will Naruto and the Grimm evolve?**

 **A:** Read this chapter, and maybe you'll get a few hints.

 **Q: Will Naruto settle down and hold territory?**

 **A:** He's already claimed his interest in 'Forever Falls', so yes. He will hold territory, but he won't always stay there. Naruto (in this story) is more keen on traveling. While he does have a 'home-base', he will still venture out.

 **Q: These cliffhangers…why're you so evil?**

 **A:** Every author has a 'dark side' to their personality. Cliffhangers and character deaths just happen to be one of the easiest ways to express this.

That's all for questions!

Another short chapter, but it is a sign for some important things to come.

I hope you guys look forward to it!

 **Also, I may go back to add more into this chapter in the future**

"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech

 _In Oum I Trust-_ \- Normal thought

 _"In Oum I Trust"_ \- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

*Sigh*- Action

In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance

 **"In Oum I Trust"** \- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech

 _ **In Oum I Trust**_ _-_ Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought

 _ **"In Oum I Trust"**_ \- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, BLEACH, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: The End of the Beginning**

 **-82 years before Canon-**

"Oi, you're just wasting your time. I was nice enough to let you go, but ya had to be stupid, huh?"

Echo watched as his partner, Wretch, continued to shake the small fox in his hands around as he kicked around the boar that tried to stop him.

"Do all you Grimm think I'm some kinda pushover? Just fuck off already!"

He watched how he tried to ignore the Boarbatusk's rescue efforts, but ultimately grew annoyed in the end…as was usual for the muscle-brained man.

"Ya know…you're _really_ starting to piss me off."

He watched how he insulted the Grimm's efforts to stop him, and stomped the Boarbatusk into the ground, kicking the dirt and dust from the ground beneath it from the sheer force of impact.

He watched how his partner hoisted his signature weapon into the air as he taunted the fox in his hands; tormenting him with words that spelled doom for his Grimm companion.

He watched as the battle axe descended onto the neck of the boar, ultimately ending the life of the unfortunate creature.

And then…he watched as the scene before him begin to change.

An air of malevolence began to surround the fox in Wretch's hands.

It was dark.

Powerful.

Overbearing.

A nightmare to behold as he felt his saliva get caught in his throat, trying the form the proper words to describe the scene.

The heavy atmosphere suppressed any act of motion he might've considered, as he remained rooted to the ground, staring at his partner who didn't seem to pick up on the change. He simply cackled histerically, enjoying the expressions that marred the Grimms' faces.

*SQUEEEEEL!*

The sudden screech turned his attention to the Grimm in the back, who had been watching the fight happen.

The other Boarbatusk looked to be in agony as it thrashed on the ground with agitated fervor. It looked like it wanted to charge the axe-bearing huntsmen, but was limited due to the injuries it suffered beforehand. Madness was evident in its eyes and the body trembled in raw anger.

* **GRAWOOO!** *

It was not alone in its suffering, as the Goliath whipped its trunk around in rage and stomped in _fury_ with the only good legs it had. It glared at Wretch with untold _hate_ like never before. It was a hate not regarded towards his race as a human being, but more focused. It was directed only at him, and it didn't take an idiot to figure out the reason why this was the case.

This was when things changed from strange, to total absurdity!

The malevolent air that surrounded the fox began to flow in the direction of the Goliath and Boarbatusk, freezing their actions momentarily before they began to erupt into fits and screeches Louder than they had done before.

In an act that defies huntsmen/huntress common sense, the Grimm then began to _change_.

As it squealed, the Boarbatusk's body began to bubble in a grotesque manner, as if there were dozens of scarabs shifting beneath its skin.

As this continued, bones could be heard breaking as the Boarbatusk began to bulge and expand, until it was _double_ the size it was previously. Its legs became thicker with a bone that coiled around it from the hoof to its knee joint like a corkscrew. Its shoulders were broad and the tusks gained a red tint to the point like Ganesha's.

Perhaps the most noticeable change in the Boarbatusk was the red-orange mane of hair that surrounded the boar's neck, and a crown of bone was above its head.

The Goliath's change wasn't as significant, but still remained ominous.

It, too, had a crown of bone on its head and grew half a size larger than before, making the one large figure even _more_ overwhelming. It's mere presence creamed superiority and suppression of the highest order.

But the common change Echo seemed to notice were what he saw in Grimm's eyes.

 _They have pupils like that fox Grimm!_

He then turned to the direction of the Fox that still remained in Wretch's hands with newfound horror and thought, _This has to be that Grimm's doing! I've never heard of another Grimm that could evolve others!_

"Wretch!" Echo called out in panic, "We have to go! NOW! That Grimm is dangerous!"

As he called out, he noticed that his partner remained frozen, and-

 _Is that…blood?_

Echo noticed a copious amount of thick, red liquid, dribbling from the mouth of his partner who remained stagnant for a while now. He also saw what appeared to be two bones piercing through his body, glowing ominously black.

He then watched in stunned horror as Wretch's body and clothing turned black, and soon began to dissipate into smaller particles of dust, similar to the way Grimm fade away as they were killed.

 _What the-_

Any further thought of his was broken when he saw the fox turn to give him a glare that spoke volumes of his state of mind. It was scathing with every passing second as the bones that once protruded from the Grimm's tail slowly receded back into place. His every move was being observed as the Grimm turned to his direction fully in a crouching position that spoke volumes of its intentions without words being necessary: it intended to kill.

Before the Grimm could make a move, Echo turned away from Naruto and sprinted in the opposite direction.

His spine was dripping in cold sweat, and his breath was ragged from fear and how heavy the presence that Grimm possessed just now when it looked into his eyes.

But what made him truly fearful was something else.

Something more shocking and mind bending than he could ever imagine.

It was something that could turn the way human and Faunus think completely upside down, tearing down the walls of whatever common sense they once held.

He had plenty of time to observe the changes and mentality of the Grimm as they fought his partner and when they evolved.

At first, he was confused about the malevolent air that surrounded the fox and coiled around its surrounding Grimm. This was a presence that was never felt by Grimm before.

Not by him or anyone he knew in history, at least.

But after being exposed to it for so long and having it suppress him, he was finally able to understand the uneasy feeling that had been creeping up on him.

Despite how dark and overbearing the feeling was, he was all too familiar with this energy signature.

That's because what he felt was…

 _Aura…that Grimm…can use Aura!_

* * *

 _I've marked his scent…he's not going to be getting away._

Naruto was staring at the escaping figure of the huntsmen as he moved through the forest.

To him, it was like he was moving in slow motion. For some reason, Naruto was starting to feel stronger, faster, and his senses seem to have heightened threefold from what it was before.

He turned in the direction of his fellow Grimm and noted the large changes in their figure.

 _They seemed to have evolved…but how?_

After that brief thought and the slight widening of his eyes, and shook his head as he stared in the direction of where the huntsmen had gone.

He was, of course, shocked by the evolution of his fellow Grimm…but right now, that feeling of shock and curiosity was being overwhelmed by unrestrained anger and hate.

His thoughts paused momentarily as he sensed malicious intent emanating from his herd. They looked ready to hunt the other huntsmen, despite the injuries they carried.

Seeing their determination brought a slight warm feeling in his heart, but he had to admonish this behavior.

" _You guys need to stay behind. You're too injured to fight again."_

" _I understand Alpha..."_

Naruto nodded, and was about to turn away, until he heard Ganesha continue.

" _I understand, Alpha…but, I don't want to understand. I... want to hunt him."_

An unseen brow rose from Naruto as he continued to take in this information while Ganesha continued.

" _I want to hunt him. Torture him. Maim him. Eat him. Many things."_

Ganesha shook his head in confusion, unfamiliar with this whirl of emotions he was unused to. It frightened him because it dictated his thoughts and actions in a way he hadn't experienced before.

" _I don't want to just kill him…I want him to suffer…Naruto."_

He lifted his head to look Naruto in his eyes, finally showing Naruto the pupils he now possessed, which startled the fox Grimm.

He wasn't startled because of Ganesha's pupils, nor was it because it was the first time he was referred to as Naruto by him. While they were indeed shocking situations, what startled him more were how his eyes now expressed deep confusion, pain, anger, and anguish.

Emotions, something Grimm were normally incapable of, now flooded the mind and heart of the Goliath before him.

And Naruto could tell that the discovery of emotions was making him unstable.

It wasn't just Ganesha who seemed to be suffering.

From the edge of his view, Naruto could see Pumbaa wailing with screams of sorrow as he limped to the direction of Gordy's demise. It tore Naruto apart to see Pumbaa continue to move with shattered legs, just to be where he lost his brother.

" _I don't understand this feeling, Naruto. It hurts, and I want him to hurt...to feel my pain."_

There was a momentary silence between the two before Naruto spoke, _"Ganesha…I understand how you're feeling, because I feel the same way. What you're feeling are emotions, and it will be especially rough since this is the first time you are feeling them at such an…intense level."_

Naruto saw the Ganesha listened to his words with undeterred attention, hoping to gleam some understanding behind the pain he was feeling.

" _I don't have much time now, Ganesha…but I promise to explain this more to you later."_

Naruto then moved forward and pat him softly with one of his tails and said, _"Trust me when I say that you will learn to understand these emotions with time. This is another stage in your evolution as a Grimm, so don't be afraid of it. Accept these new feelings, and grow with them. Overcome them. Because even if it hurts now, you will see that it is_ because _of these emotions that you can become stronger than ever before."_

Ganesha didn't fully understand all of Naruto's words, but he felt a faint warmth in the depths of his being.

It was…soothing to him. It relaxed and reassured him that he was in no danger due to these new feelings.

This warmth made him feel that he made the right decision in following Naruto. He had a feeling based on instinct, that Naruto would make a difference in the world of Grimm…and now he could see how.

Ganesha nodded his head, _"I understand…my Alpha."_

Naruto was ticked that Ganesha reverted back to calling him 'Alpha', but this thought froze when Naruto saw a faint smile on the Goliath's face.

No longer disturbed by his herd's depression, Naruto turned to the forest once more and spoke, _"I'll be leaving, Ganesha. Watch over Pumbaa just in case."_

With narrowed eyes and burning resolve in his eyes, Naruto growled, _"I still have a huntsman to kill."_

* * *

*Pant!* *Pant!*

"Hah! Hah!"

Echo had been running for some time now, and he was beginning to feel exhaustion take over. He wasn't a stamina freak like his partner Wretch was, and he had been keeping his semblance active in case he was being pursued.

*Pant!* *Pant!*

 _That Grimm…how is it able to use aura?!_

Stopping for a moment to catch his breath, Echo couldn't help but complain in his heart about the current situation.

As an experienced hunter, he had encountered all sorts of Grimm, and was very capable of battling the bane of humanity.

But he had never heard of a Grimm having the abilities a human or faunas has!

 _This shouldn't be possible! Aura is the manifestation of one's soul. It's known that Grimm don't have souls…so how?!_

Echo knew exactly what this scenario meant, but he didn't want to believe it. This was a matter _much_ bigger than the ongoing war. If a Grimm was capable of using aura, then that meant-

 _That Grimm has a soul…that explains why it was so intelligent and emotive when fighting._

Once Echo accepted this logic – as absurd as it was – things started to make sense. That oppressing, all-encompassing feeling, its battle strategy, its emotional responses.

All this alluded to the Grimm possessing a soul, and explained why it was so skilled.

The problem in question now became "how"?

This Grimm may be the first in history to possess aura. If this were true anywhere else, would it have been kept a secret for so long? It was either that, or the Grimm who possessed aura were very capable at hiding from society.

And if it wasn't terrifying enough that a Grimm could possess a soul, what became more frightening were the supplemental and influential effects this Grimm had on its herd.

 _The aura of that fox seemed to feed the Boarbatusk and Goliath that were nearby. Does this mean that this Grimm can influence other Grimm in evolution? If that were true, then-_

But before he could finish this thought, Echo felt a response flare in the distance thanks to his semblance.

 _He's closing in on me…if he was able to make up the distance between us and pinpoint my position, I doubt I can leave quietly…_

Recognizing the situation he was now in, sighed with shadowed eyes, _Shit…I'm really going to have to fight that monster? Today is NOT my day…_

* * *

 _There…_

Thought Naruto, catching the scent of a familiar, runaway huntsman. After making this discovery, and noticing how the scent hadn't moved further away from him, Naruto stopped to take a short break.

There were a couple of things Naruto had noticed as he began his hunt for the huntsman that he realized were abnormal for Grimm.

For one, he felt unusually more powerful than before. He had noticed this earlier, but he didn't think about it much due to other overwhelming emotions at that time.

But as he chased down the man, he had time to collect his thoughts and reflect on the changes he had felt earlier.

He was already aware about how his strength, speed, and senses had heightened greater than before, but that wasn't what confused him.

In fact, Naruto was well aware that Grimm were capable of growing stronger from his experience with his herd.

The problem, however, lied in how this was done.

In order for Grimm to become stronger physically, they needed to go through a process of evolution. Naruto still had yet to understand how evolution for Grimm worked, but he knew that the most common evolution seen in Grimm was their ascension from a normal class Grimm, into an Alpha.

In this transformation, they grow not just in size, but intellect and ability. This much he clearly understood after seeing Pumbaa's and Goliath's changes before he left them behind.

Pumbaa doubled in size, ferocity, and his appearance was more menacing. Goliath didn't possess too significant of a change (compared to Pumbaa) since he had already achieved his Alpha evolution, other than his size and eyes, but this showed that Grimm were capable of ascending _beyond_ their commonly known 'Alpha' form.

But what Naruto noticed was that despite becoming more powerful, he hadn't evolved; he looks exactly the same as he did before. He didn't grow larger or gained additional features like when he first ate a human, but he could feel a new source of power flowing through his body.

After thinking about this mysterious energy for a moment, Naruto felt a familiar wave of knowledge course through his mind, momentarily stopping his movement and dulling his eyes.

Every time Naruto encountered something worth pondering or gained some insight into a subject, it would trigger something in his mind. Once triggered, Naruto would be flooded with information Monty left for him, clarifying whatever it was he was thinking about.

After Naruto assorted and reviewed the knowledge he gained, a light smirk sprouted onto his face as he continued in the direction of the hunstman.

 _So it was Aura that I felt. That certainly explains some things._

It was commonly known by society that it was _impossible_ for Grimm to possess an aura.

So then, why was Naruto able to?

The answer became pretty simple once you thought about it.

Aura is defined as 'the manifestation of one's soul', and allows a human/faunus to possess a wide range of passive or active abilities.

Grimm are beings that do not possess a soul, hence it is impossible for them to wield aura…but this was not the case for Naruto Uzumaki.

He was a soul taken from Limbo, and directly incarnated into the empty husk of a fox Grimm. Having a soul from the start, Naruto was naturally capable of having the abilities any huntsman or huntress could have.

Naruto, however, never possessed this knowledge before because he never observed aura closely.

Through this experience, Naruto was able to understand how things worked, and what direction he should take if he wished to grow stronger and become more knowledgeable.

He would only learn of something if he encountered it closely, or he deeply thought about it.

He would only gain strength through blood, sweat, and tears.

 _It seems with insight I gain understanding, and with hardship, I gain power…the laws of this world are pretty cruel, huh Monty?_

Naruto paused his thoughts once he approached a small clearing in the forest, and approached a nearby bush to hide as he peered through his surroundings.

It took only a short moment before he recognized the male figure who was resting against a tree, causing Naruto to grit his teeth with barely retained anger.

 _I found you…_

Naruto didn't attack outright, however. He was aware that this huntsman was different from the last. He seemed more intelligent and wary of his surroundings, and he also had front row seats to Naruto's last fight. With that in mind, it should be assumed this man has some understanding of the way Naruto fights, putting him at a bit of an advantage.

Taking this into account, Naruto observed his surroundings more closely, so he could have a better grasp of how to use the environment to his best ability.

He ruffled through the bushes silently, and creeped closer by hiding behind various objects of forestry. He kept an eye on the huntsman, but noticing that he had yet to react, and actually closed had his eyes closed, it seemed to him he was resting due to exhaustion.

Seeing this, Naruto crept closer until he was only short distance away from him before pausing to prepare his charge.

After a few moments, Naruto finally pounced towards the hunstmen who was full of openings, aiming to kill in one swoop.

 _Die!_

As Naruto prepared to cleave his claws into the man's throat, he suddenly found his claw buried into the trunk of the tree the man had been resting against, with said huntsmen dozens of feet away from his original position.

Echo glared in the direction of the fox, and pulled out the daggers he concealed within his cloak. It took only an instant for his weapon to shift into the form of a gun as he proceeded to fire a barrage of dust-infused bullets in the direction of Naruto.

With his quick reflexes, Naruto managed to escape the unexpected counter by quickly retracting his claws and launching himself away from the tree. Despite his nimble nature, however, he didn't get away unscathed as he found several bullets fixed into his body.

"*Tch*…shoulda know you'd escape…thought I'd be able to do a bit more damage than that though…"

Naruto sent the man a menacing look as he revaluated the huntsmen before him, while reproaching himself in the process.

 _Shit…I know he's smarter than his partner, yet I still underestimated him…but how did he know I was coming?_

Naruto didn't have much experience fighting against huntsmen, so his game was a bit rusty. He was too used to fighting the creatures of Grimm who lacked quality planning and sophisticated stratagems, which added to this failure of his.

But that wasn't all.

 _I'm letting my emotions control me, and I'm not thinking properly…I can't believe I made such a rookie mistake._

He knew that while the emotional high he was on gave him great strength and awakened his aura, it also provided him a _significant_ detriment.

While it was true his senses and instinct were heightened to phenomenal levels, all that became naught when a well placed strategy is in motion.

Naruto was too new to this recent power up, and he had yet to understand the ins-and-outs of it. While the strengths became obvious, the weaknesses required more time and deliberation to solve; without proper understanding of one's detriments, it could prove fatal to one's life

With a long breath, Naruto slowly began to contain his hatred further, resulting in the black aura that once cloaked him to recede to nothingness.

Echo, in the meantime, merely observed the unmoving Grimm as it stood a distance away from him.

He understood that one mistake could lead to his death, so he chose not to capitalize his attack on the unmoving fox. He took the time to observe and recover instead, seeing as he didn't know how long the coming fight may last.

 _I can't feel that ominous aura coming from him any more…_ _But I can't be complacent either…_

Realizing this, he didn't feel as afraid as he once did, but he knew that aura had something to do with his partner disintegrating into particles of dust.

He studied the fox a bit longer before the fox Grimm finally opened its sunset shade eyes.

A stare down was formed between the two as they were locked into place…before Naruto jumped back into the forestry, and agilely moved among the trees and bushes in silence.

Echo did nothing but remain still in plain sight as he closed his eyes once more in an inviting, provocative posture.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the huntsmen, curious about the man's actions…but after lying in wait for a few minutes, the man had still done nothing.

 _What is he up to…?_

Naruto couldn't quite understand the man's actions, and found the openings the man had to suspicious...but he had grown tired of waiting.

 _Alright, I'll bite…what is it you're going for?_

With his mind made up, Naruto pounced once again, but with a warier air about him. His claws extended once again, and just like last time, the man dodged by a narrow margin and counter attacked with his dagger-guns.

Since Naruto was more prepared this time around, and maneuvered around him safely, a close-combat clash then ensued as they continued to fight for dominance.

Naruto found it strange how the man never seemed to struggle when dodging his attacked. It seemed so natural, as if he was able to see it coming from a mile away.

His counters came so quickly, that Naruto had actually been cut on more than occasion and literally 'bit the bullet' several times as he was shot at. Although the damage did seem trivial, the result was still the same: that is, he was the one who was coming out on the short end!

Realizing this, Naruto retreated once more into the forestry to understand the situation once again, while the man once again adopted his nonchalant posture and closed his eyes, though it was clear that he was beginning to run low on steam.

 _How the hell is he hitting me? I'm clearly faster, so how is he still managing to follow my every move?_

Naruto paused to recollect his thoughts and make assumptions based on what he had seen so far. He thought back to when Wretch was about to explain his partner's ability. It somehow allowed him to relay a message in a way Naruto couldn't hear or see.

And since a few moments before, he had been able to dodge _every_ one of his attacks. Thinking back, this was evident even when Naruto first launched his initial charge when he first saw him.

 _He is definitely using his semblance…but what is it? He can somehow relay messages and read my movements…seriously, what kind of ability is this!_

Naruto was beginning to get more and more frustrated as he continued to think about the countless possibilities that all seemed to point in the wrong direction.

 _Can he see the future? No, that that wouldn't explain his message ability. Does it have something to do with space control…? No…that doesn't make any sense. That kind of ability is extremely powerful, so why would he run away so desperately? I would be the one running!_

No matter what he came up with, it always resulted in a dead end, until…

 _Seriously, this Echo guy is really-_

…He reached a ridiculous conclusion. One that was glaringly obvious if he hadn't put so much thought into it. He almost didn't want to believe it was so simple.

 _Well, there is only one way to find out…_

Naruto then proceeded to suck in a huge breath, expanding his lungs to its utmost limits, before-

*YIIIIIP!*

-he released an excruciatingly high-pitched screech.

Almost instantly, the huntsmen's eyes widened as he hunched over to cover his ears that began to trickle blood slightly as he released a grunt in pain.

Seeing his opportunity, Naruto lunged towards him once more with his claws elongated and prepared to strike him with intent to kill.

At the last second the huntsman managed to see the coming attack, but his response was far weaker and slower, as he only managed parry the claw slightly where it stabbed deep into his shoulder, rather than the heart it was aiming for.

His Aura had already grown weak at this point from using his semblance for too long, and this last attack had completely drained him dry.

Naruto pulled his paw away as he shook his head in annoyance, understanding his theory was correct.

 _He could relay messages without me hearing…he could read my movements before I made them…hell, his name was fuckin' 'Echo'!_

Putting the pieces of the puzzle together, it wasn't hard for him to understand that the ability was sound based. He must have been able to somehow isolate sound so only Wretch could hear, and echolocation could explain how he could understand Naruto's positioning with even his eyes closed.

Naruto knew he must've been skilled if he was even able to gather the position his attacks were heading just based on the sounds he made in such close combat…but in the end, it was for naught.

This was something Echo had known from the beginning, but he refused to go down without a fight. His semblance was always a supplementary one, and wasn't too useful offensively. It was more passive, defensive, and effective for espionage, not particularly meant for combat.

Echo had been crouched down for a while now, covering his bleeding shoulder, sighing about his current circumstance.

 _Hah~…this wouldn't have happened if it weren't for Wretch…_

It was no use crying over spilt milk now. What's done is done, and he was now paying the price for it.

He looked up from his position and found himself staring into the menacing eyes of the small Grimm before him. He could have never imagining his end would come from such a pitifully small creature.

Seeing the blank stare of the fox, Echo released a wry smile and said, "Well…I'm all yours, you monstrous little shit…Eat me, maim me…*sigh*…do whatever."

Naruto continued to stare vacantly at the huntsman, as he recalled all the times he had spent with Gordy during his ventures.

From their unusual, gang-like first meeting, to the everyday spars they had.

He would laugh at the Boarbatusk brother's random antics and their random fights with Karasuba.

He recalled the moments they finally learned to speak, thanks to Goliath, and how _he_ was the first thing they spoke about. It filled him with emotions of familial pride and happiness at their growth.

Black tears once more adorned his mask, falling unceasingly to the earth as he now came to the realization that he would now longer be able to experience those times with his fellow Grimm.

Soon, his sadness was overcome with determination as he stared dangerously at one of the men responsible for the loss of his friend.

 _I will not allow those precious to me be lost again…_

A dark glint appeared in his eye as his body began to produce the dark aura once more…only this time, another change was occurring.

Echo watched in ghastly horror as the small kit before him began to grow into the size of a full grown fox. The bone plating became more menacing with red tribal marks glowing over them.

And behind the Fox grew another tail to match the duo he had previously.

Naruto was currently unaware of these changes as his determination and resolve began to solidify after his loss.

 _I will protect those dear to me…_

He then rose all three tails behind him as bones began to protrude from them once more with the ominous glow return in full effect once again.

… _Even if I have to Kill!_

Echo closed his eyes from the monster before him, no longer wishing to stare at the demon. He did not want to disgrace himself by pissing his pants in fear before his death.

But what happened next shocked him down to his core.

" **Y** O **u** … **Br** o **U** Gh **t** t **H** Is… **u** Po **N** … **Y** o **UR** s **E** lf…!"

*Shunk* *Shunk* *Shunk*

As the three bones stabbed into his body, Echo's eyes opened once more in terror…because of what he had just heard.

He only uttered two final words as he began to dissipate into a cloud of dust, never to be seen or heard of again.

"You…Spoke!"

Naruto watched as the man disintegrated into nothing for a long moment, before finally-

" **RAHHHHHHHHH!"**

-he roared in rage, sorrow, and several other emotions before he finally collapsed due to the physical, mental, and emotional stress he experienced in only several hours.

This day marked the end of Naruto's semi-peaceful days in his long life as a Grimm.

…And so began a new era of growth and turmoil for _all_ Grimm kind.

* * *

" **RAHHHHHHHHH!"**

This roar of anguish resounded through Forever Falls, sending all nearby Grimm and animals to cower in fear…all except for one existence.

The silhouette was that of a man, hiding on the branch of a distant tree.

This figure had been sent to track down the spy who had managed to make his way into Vale…and eliminate him by any means necessary.

It took some time to find him, and when he did, and came upon him and his partner fighting with an unusual horde of Grimm.

And if _that_ wasn't enough to peak his curiosity, it was the Fox Grimm who did.

He had watched all the fights unfold from beginning to end, and he couldn't help but become astonished at the many revelations that had occurred in a single day.

Though the fox was highly dangerous…the figure saw something _more_ than a monster.

He saw…potential.

He finally decided to leave the fox where it laid once he began to hear the presence of its herd approaching closer.

The figure dashed away at illusory speeds with a smile tugging away on his face as he thought, "It looks like things are shaping up to be an…interesting future."

* * *

 **End of Arc 1:**

 **The Grimm Beginning**

 **Begin Arc 2:**

 **Grimm*******

Look forward to future chapters! I bleeped out some of the name of Arc 2 because it may give some details away.

I am still alive and continuing the story! Work is just crazy, and I'm still traveling, so I can't promise any dates and things like that.

Buuuuut…I will give you an epilogue as thanks for you guys being patient with me.

Here it comes!

* * *

 **Epilogue: A Shift in things to come**

 **Kingdom of Vale**

*Sigh*

The lone, shadowy figure of a man could be found in a messy, dim room, lit only by the setting sun. It was littered with papers, plans and stratagems that were displayed chaotically on a large round table. The walls were decorated with portraits and weapons that exuded a royal class, defining that despite the lack of tidiness in the room, it was one that held great significance.

His demeanor was solemn as he overlooked the surrounding city through the large window that encompassed almost the entire wall for itself. His stature was fitting of a seasoned warrior, yet his posture presented him as a wise ruler. There was an elegant, yet dominating air about him that made many believe he was an unapproachable, invincible hero.

The man couldn't help but release a tired breath he had been holding in since the war meeting he had with his advisors.

They had all been going mad since they found out someone was planted in their base long enough to discover vital plans that could possibly end the war.

It took some time and careful words to finally appease their worries, but they still looked restless as they left the council room.

The heroic figure had full confidence in the man he sent to hunt down the foreign spy, but that didn't mean he wouldn't worry. There were many factors to consider, and there was always the possibility of bad things to come.

"Oh? You seem a little down, your highness. What could possibly be troubling you so?"

As the man stood before the window, a dark silhouette appeared in the room silently, and spoke with a calm that did not suit the atmosphere of war.

The hero merely smiled in response, with his shoulder now more relaxed than it was before.

It seems he worried for nothing.

"I believe I should be fine now…that is, if you came back with good news?"

The Man still had not looked at the new arrival and continued to stare at the city before him with feelings of love, and the desire to protect. It was the attitude befitting of any ruler, yet his stood above the rest in both sincerity, and determination.

"Hmmm…I believe you're well aware of my skill level. Actually, I feel that it was too much to send me out there. Sending a few of your high-ranking soldiers would have been enough."

"That may be true," the man replied with a shake of his head, "but it wasn't a situation where I could afford any risks. I was positive you would be able to handle it quickly…and you didn't disappoint."

The silhouette released a faint smile as he walked around the room in a leisurely manner. As he moved to the lighter parts of the room, some of his appearance could be made out.

His figure was slender in comparison to his leader, and rather than wearing a typical set of combat clothing, he was dressed in a black suit.

"Yes, well, it wasn't _all_ sunshine and rainbows my friend. There's quite a bit I have to share with- is that coffee?"

The man spoke with an affable tone before he spotted his favored beverage on a table to the side of the room.

The man who stood before the window sighed once more, waving his hand as if to give him permission to have what he wants.

"Thank you, I was beginning to feel a bit parched."

It was a few moments of silence later before they got back on topic to the report.

"So, what were the things you wanted to share with me?"

*sip*

While drinking his coffee, the slender man replied, "Ah yes. Well, what I want to share doesn't really have to do with the spies themselves. Rather, it has to do with what they _encountered_."

His curiosity piqued, the elegant warrior turned slightly in the direction of his friend and replied, "Oh? What could have possibly grabbed your attention?"

"It seems they encountered a new species of Grimm. One that is in the form of a nimble, young fox…but that isn't the most interesting thing."

"…then what is?"

With a smile on his face, the man in the suit explained the series of events that happened, and he detailed them to the finest points…while leaving some things out for a later revelation. This was just a part of his personality to keep his audience in suspense...a very _annoying_ personality trait to say the least, but entertaining nonetheless.

After standing there in silence for a short time, and absorbing the information that had been given, the man couldn't help but to release a shocked voice as a result.

"What?! That…that is impossible! I've never heard of such a thing!"

*sip*

"And yet it is true, my dear friend. Do you believe I am a man who would lie about this matter? It's truly interesting, and a sign of things to come."

Silence engulfed the room once more as the obviously disturbed man recollected his thoughts and reflected on the things that he heard.

 _A herd of various intelligent Grimm that are led by a smaller, fox-like one. The Alpha seems to have the ability to evolve his herd…through the use of Aura?!_

There was just so much to take in that he didn't know where to begin.

It could use aura like humans could. This took away the advantage humanity held over the race of dark beings for so long.

It possessed an ability that turned any victim that touched its bones into dust. An ability that seemed capable of bypassing even the strongest of defenses!

Through its aura, evolving the Grimm that surrounded it was only a matter of time. New, _stronger_ species of Grimm would be birthed as a result, which may lead to unknown detriments in the future for the world.

This matter was _much_ bigger than the war that was currently happening!

While humans were at war and fighting for independence and individuality, the Grimm grew stronger in the dark, biding their time until ultimately…they wipe out the human and faunus race as they knew it.

With a frown, he spoke, "We'll need to hunt them down and kill it. We can't afford to have such a risk out in the world."

*sip*

"I'm inclined to disagree."

With a tone of irritation, he nearly shouted, "Are you mad?! Do you even comprehend the repercussions of letting such a creature go will do? How much things will change if it were allowed to live?!"

"I would normally agree with you…but there is one small tidbit of information that I forgot to share with you."

"…and that is?"

*sip*

"That fox Grimm could feel and display emotions openly. Not only that, but it could speak…in _our_ language, your highness."

The once worried man now had his eyes opened wide at the most recent revelation. If this was true, then this could mean-

"It seems you understand now, dear friend. A Grimm that is both capable of speaking and feeling emotions like any ordinary human…does this not mean he can be reasoned with? The words he spoke to the spy before he was killed were 'You brought this upon yourself'…Does this not mean he would not have attacked with the intent to kill if they hadn't killed a member of their herd?"

"…your theory is a wild and absurd one, filled with too much hope and too little logic. Do you really believe this Grimm will do as you suggest? Please…enlighten me if you have some great idea."

*sip*

"There is no need for much planning. We will simply treat him as a human. Wouldn't that make things much simpler?"

"…too simple, if you ask me." The king muttered beneath his breath.

With a heavy sigh, he continued, "…Alright. We'll give your plan a shot…but we'll do so _after_ the war. The turning point is finally closing in, so we can't afford to do anything that could risk the situation…hah~, I sure hope your right about this _feeling_ of yours."

The king turned in the direction of the stoic man as he continued to sip his coffee, and only shook his head.

"…you're going to be the death of me, Oz."

*sip*

"That is unlikely."

* * *

 **A/N: It has ended!**

Hope you enjoyed the small sneak peak in things to come. Like I said, I can't promise any dates due to work, but I hope you continue to read regardless!

~Stay cool, but don't freeze!


	9. Time Numbs All Wounds

**WARNING!**

 **If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!**

 **Arc 2: Grimm*******

 **A/N:** Thanks for everyone's support once again!

I apologize for the LOOOONG delay. I had written several chapters ahead...but then RWBY Volume 5 attacked!

(Which wasn't a bad thing)

It gave me a plethora of ideas and concepts to work with, and solved some writing challenges I had in my head. With the end of Volume 5, I decided to let my creative juices flow!

All the chapters I had written before had pretty much been scrapped entirely, and I just finished rewriting this one. I feel a lot more satisfied with this one than my last one, especially with the new revelations on Ozpin and company. I immediately put them into practice!

 **Let me share with you guys a problem I have as a writer** _(feel free to skip this and get on with the chapter)_ **:**

Every author has got a quirk or style to their writing, as do I. As for me, I like to take "Canon" information from original series and **warp them** in different/alternate angles. I like to take pre-existing information and extend it beyond the intended use in an interesting way. The problem with this, however, is that **RWBY** is an ongoing series. This means I become a bit hesitant to write since I want my ideas in this fanfic to mesh decently well with the original series, but this becomes challenging as new "Truths" continually pop up in RWBY (e.g. Ozpin's history, character development, etc.) with every episode and volume.

So again, I apologize for the delay, but I believe it was a necessary sacrifice for better quality. Not to mention I am working full time + overtime hours, which makes writing very difficult. I'm also planning to move out in the near future, so that is also another problem.

That's all I had to say, so now I present my newest chapter!

I hope you guys look forward to it!

 **Also, I may go back to add more into this chapter in the future**

"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech

 _In Oum I Trust-_ \- Normal thought/emphasized words

 _"In Oum I Trust"_ \- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

*Sigh*- Action

In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance/Ability

 **"In Oum I Trust"** \- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech

 _ **In Oum I Trust**_ _-_ Authoritative/powerful/angered Thoughts/Emphasized Words

 _ **"In Oum I Trust"**_ \- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, BLEACH, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

All things change with the passage of time, no matter how miniscule or grand that amount of time may be.

Whether they be seconds...

Minutes.

Hours.

Days.

Weeks.

Months.

Years.

Decades.

Centuries.

 **...** _ **Millenia…**_

...this will _always_ hold true.

I truly believe that _change_ is the only constant within _and_ beyond the world of remnant.

For the ease of explanation, let us say there is a large field of nothing but grass in the distance. Now, if I were to step on the grass a second later, would it still be the same?

Of course not.

The weight of a human being would flatten it almost immediately.

But if the grass were left alone and there _were_ no human presence...would my theory still hold true?

Indeed it will.

If you take the wind into account, a gentle breeze is all it takes to change the position of the grass from what it once was.

To delve a bit deeper, what if there was an immovable, invincible, and immortal object of any sort left in an empty space that was void of all other lifeforms, or existences. There was absolutely nothing that can interact with this object, and the same was reversed.

Is it possible for this object to change in anyway, despite lacking any external, or even internal factors?

…

Of course.

Even if it can not be seen, or the change wasn't physical in any way, the concept of time can _not_ be fooled.

This object, despite it being immovable, invincible, and immortal, will still be different because it will be one second _older_ than it once was. The object itself had no change, but the reality of its continued existence and length of life certainly did.

But I digress...why should anyone believe me?

As a man who's been lost within the confounds of time myself, I'd like to think that my words hold some weight. You don't walk this world with tens of different lifetimes and experiences and _not_ gain some understanding of how the world works, you know.

*sip*

I've had the...well, let's call it "opportunity" for lack of kinder terms, to learn from countless sins and mistakes I've made in the past. It wouldn't be farfetched to say there is no being on Remnant that could top me on that account...not that it is something to be particularly proud of.

...would you like to hear my story?

 _Hmmm…_

Of course you would.

It is a tale that stretches to the times of our world's creation, where two gods-

"Oz...how'd you get in here? And is that my mug?"

...it seems the time for fairy tales will have to wait.

 **Chapter 8: Time Numbs All** **Wounds**

 **-78 years before Canon-**

 **Unknown home in Vale**

"Oz...how'd you get in here? And is that my mug?"

*sip*

"To answer respectively, I used the door. You really shouldn't leave it unlocked, by the way. You wouldn't want any unsavory individuals to invade your privacy, would you? And yes...it is your mug."

"You...just why are you so…*sigh*...nevermind."

The man who had entered the room had aged, pale blonde hair with a sturdy build that seemed to possess a noble, heroic air. Behind his heroic figure, however, could be seen a man who was tired and worn by the stress of war and the death that came along with it. The wrinkles he wore and the scars that littered his face and body were evidence enough to show the trials and tribulations this man had experienced in his lifetime.

He sighed in exasperation towards this eccentric friend of his, as he walked with heavy steps towards his desk.

He could never figure out how his old friend Ozbourne managed to get past every security detail and invade his personal space. While he did leave the door unlocked, that was because he had _other_ measures of home security that he was positive would've trumped anyone's attempt at a home invasion...barring Ozbourne, it seems.

He was also very astute in observation, to the point it was greatly annoying sometimes. It was enough to drive any man crazy, and how he hadn't already lost his mind...he never knew. He could only thank the gods for their mercy on his soul.

"I have a feeling you are thinking something unbecoming of me, my dear friend. A Lien for your thoughts?"

"...I was thinking about how I might go insane if I keep hanging around you."

"How rude."

The blonde man wasn't one to mince words or make excuses. Because of this, he would usually come off as a blunt, yet honest man. While some appreciated this, it is a fact that most found it difficult to understand and handle his temperament.

Not that it mattered in this case, of course. They shared a bond of trust that many would almost consider familial. Any joke or insult was taken in stride...usually.

Both the noble man and Ozbourne now sat in silence across from each other with only a desk between them, riddled with papers and reports of varying subjects. The only sounds that could heard were the occasional sips of coffee from Oz with closed eyes, or the sound of turned pages from the heroic man as he read and signed the paperwork thoroughly.

It was only after reading a certain report did the man sigh as he proceeded to pinch the bridge of his nose in what seemed to be of fatigue and irritation.

Noticing the change in his friends demeanor, Oz opened his eyes lazily and asked, "You seem troubled, 'Warrior King' Julius. Did something pressing come up?"

The blonde man's brow twitched in irritation at hearing his old title of 'Warrior King', but denied any further remarks, lest he give in to the eccentric fellow's teasing. He wasn't in the mood to play games.

"Hah~," the heroic figure sighed heavily as he sank into his chair, "There are a lot of things that trouble me, Ozbourne. I thought I was done with the bullshit after the war had ended, but it seems like new problems arise when the old ones perish."

As Julius stated, it has been two years since "The Great War" had ended with the victory of Vale and Vacuo.

The war reached its climax when Mantle and Mistral had set their sights on Vacuo, hoping to restrict their enemies' supply line of Dust and other resources. They planned to secure the mines to restrict Vacuo and Vale's movements, while stationing a strong presence in their home territory with a stable dust production. By then, it would only be a matter of time before the two kingdoms would become flanked and overrun from multiple entry points.

The key word being _would_.

It was rather fortunate for the King of Vale, or Julius as he prefers to be called, since he had stumbled upon these plans when he discovered a couple of moles planted within his military camp. As a result of the traps discovery, the man had thoroughly _decimated_ the opposing forces by cornering them with his own.

It was in this bloody, and one-sided battle that Julius was crowned the _Warrior King_ who left countless corpses in his wake.

There were many factors besides the failed plan, however, that contributed to Mantle and Mistral's total loss in the end. The opposition did not have experience in desert combat, and had to fight within Vacuo's turbulent weather conditions.

Nonetheless, it was still the most costly, game-changing battle to have occurred. This was only made possible due to _unforeseen_ circumstances where the spies, Echo and Wretch, failed to report to the lords of Mantle and Mistral that their plan was discovered. This seemingly small error, caused a monumental change in the tides of war, and managed to put a stop to the unceasing battles.

Following the battle, the four kingdoms met on neutral grand, and were ready to bow their heads to the king of Vale. That is also when he did something that had shocked them to their core, and turned down the role as _sole_ King of Remnant.

He instead abolished slavery, redistributed territories, and restructured the governments. The Faunus were given equal rights, and gifted the continent of Menagerie for their own use, which may have _seemed_ like a good idea at the time, but due to some recent reports, well...things could be going a _lot_ better that it currently was.

In present times, Julius was in the process of overseeing the construction of something called the "Huntsmen/Huntress Academies", where men and women would be trained to combat the _"true"_ enemies of the mortal race…the Grimm.

Of course, there were some _other_ reasons for their construction, but those were deemed secrets that only the leaders of the academies would know about.

"And pray tell, what _are_ these new problems, exactly?"

"You mean besides your idea of creating academies?"

This wasn't to say that Julius didn't _believe_ in the purpose of the academies. In fact, he was all for it when the idea was presented to him by Ozbourne. Especially considering the circumstances surrounding Ozbourne, him, and... _ **her**_.

No, he believed in the reason for the academy wholeheartedly, but the construction itself was very challenging. Mainly because he and Ozbourne wanted the construction surrounding the vaults to be kept as secrets from _everyone_ , and in case no one noticed...it was quite difficult to build something in secret when said job required manpower; in other words, workers needed to know the design plans and landscape to build something. Finding appropriate personnel was indeed a difficult task, but progress was being made.

Oz did nothing to respond to the jab at his idea for 'Huntsmen Academies' and offered a nod, already knowing how tedious the task was.

"You should know what I'm talking about, Oz. The tension between human and faunus has grown _incredibly_ thick since the end of 'The Great War'. Peace talks and protests have devolved into boycotts and riots. I fear...that war may be upon us once more."

Oz shook his head in response, and a frown of slight disappointment could be faintly seen on his lips.

"Julius, I know you had good intentions when you gave the faunus Menagerie, but not everyone can see the world like you do...you placed _too_ much hope in humanity and Faunus-kind in being able to understand your intentions. I'm afraid this action lead to a _total_ misinterpretation of what you sought for both races."

Julius lowered his head, knowing that his error in judgement and blind faith in believing there was good in everyone, had brought the situation to what it was today.

When humanity heard of Julius' decision to "give" Menagerie to the Faunus, they were thrilled.

Why?

For a _very_ small few, humans felt that this was a step toward peace between the two races, and they could combat their one _true_ enemy... **the Grimm.**

Unfortunately, a majority of humanity saw this action in a different light.

In their eyes, this was their "Warrior King's" way of _completely_ segregating the faunus population, and a sign of humanity being the dominant species of Remnant.

From this viewpoint, you could only _imagine_ how the Faunus took to this growing state of mind.

Sadness...

Disgust…

Anger…

 _Hatred…_

Feelings and thoughts became turbulent as the Faunus began to fight for equal rights and access to the kingdoms.

Humans did not take too kindly to this.

Which now leaves Remnant in a state of disarray and negativity, while unbeknownst to society...the Grimm continue to grow in strength and number.

Oz, noting Julius' silence, walked over to his old friend and rested his hand onto his shoulder in support.

"There is no use in mulling over your mistakes, Julius. Only time will tell where this situation will take us. For now, we should concern ourselves with the academies, the relics, and **Salem**."

Oz could feel a shiver run down his friend's spine, and he couldn't blame him.

The grey haired man said nothing as he continued to stare at the back of the former king, noticing the anger, disdain, and… _fear,_ in his eyes.

There was only one woman who could incite such feelings inside not only his friend, but himself as well. A women so corrupt and hell-bent on the destruction of humanity that drove a shiver down even the _Warrior King's_ spine in how unnerving her presence was.

She was powerful, of course, but the true nightmare lied in her _mind_.

An intellect that challenged both Oz _and_ Julius individually, and similarly difficult even when they worked together. It was with great turmoil and careful planning that they were able to outsmart her with the construction of the academies, to act as the foothold in protecting the relics.

In terms of battle strategy, the ex-king of Vale held no equal…but when it came to understanding the human mind, emotions, and societal interaction, _no one_ was her equal.

"…She will only remain quiet for so long, Oz. I'm positive she is putting some things into motion right this second; I have half a mind that she incited not only 'The Great War', but is currently evolving the tension between humans and faunus as well."

Julius released a heavy breath has he sank into his chair with many thoughts rampant in his head.

"She is patient, and has _all_ the time in the world, like you. But the same doesn't apply to me. When I'm gone…I'm afraid there will be nothing to hold her back any longer."

The man shook his head and stood, "I understand all of this, Oz…which is why I'm doing my best to help you create a safe haven for the _Relics_. One man can only do so much, and I won't be around to help you protect Remnant forever. It will never grow if I continue to babysit them. We need the whole world to be prepared…for _**her**_."

Silence.

Not a sound was made, as both men understood that time was short and that they would need to be prepared for the worst. There was no sense in continuing a conversation they were already aware of and preparing for.

Breaking the solemn mood, the ex-king inquired, "I think that's enough talk about world affairs for one night. Any more, and I think my hair will turn completely white. I'm not _that_ old yet."

Oz released a faint chuckle at that. Julius used to have vibrant, blond hair and was quite popular with the ladies in his youth. But even the great _Warrior King_ can't fight time.

"Those things aside…how's your side project coming along, Oz?"

At this, Ozbourne smiled a bit and said, "Things have been progressing slowly, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Our first meeting was a bit rough, but we soon understood, respected, and accepted each other's intentions. He is quite the training addict, and has started to form a herd _far_ larger than it was five years ago."

"…This _Naruto's_ character…is it something that can be relied upon?" The man questioned because he still had some misgivings about establishing contact with a sentient Grimm that was supposedly 'good', according to his eccentric friend.

These misgivings weren't without evidence, given how Salem acts and perceives the world.

Although, Oz _did_ never say anything clearly about whether or not she was a Grimm, human...or something else.

"Yes," Oz nodded, "He kind of reminds me of you, actually. He treats his herd as family, and thinks of them before himself. I was planning to meet with him again soon. I think it's high time he heard of a small _fairy tale_ about his race."

The man quirked an eyebrow and asked, "So soon? It's only been a year since you first interacted. Did he really gain your trust to that extent?"

Oz said nothing as he nodded once more, which was enough for the man to accept. Oz was not an easy man to please, so this fox Grimm "Naruto", must have a strong, likeable character.

"To make you go so far…what is it you see in him, Oz?"

Oz sipped from his mug once more before he answered, "Like you, Julius...he is a game-changer, and a beacon of hope. One we're going to need in the fight against Salem."

* * *

 **Somewhere in Forever Falls**

Forever Falls...a land of red that never seemed to follow in accordance with the laws of nature. It never snowed, and there were no sweltering heat waves...it was a land limited to a single season year-round, with a few bouts of rain and turbulent winds. For as long as anyone knew, this forest has remained its crimson shade indefinitely, and likely continue to do so no matter how much time has passed.

Despite its seemingly immortal geography, that isn't to say nothing has changed within this terrain of trees and mountains.

 _Five years ago…_

A new species of Grimm had spawned on the world of Remnant with sentience beyond its age; intelligence surpassing even some of the sharpest human beings; power that rivaled even the greatest of Grimm; and skill that tested professional Huntsmen/huntresses in how they approached Grimm combat, the likes of which they have never experienced before.

It's form was...well, a small fox.

 _Four years ago…_

This Grimm seemed to grow, not only in age and power...but in followers as well. Unlike any other pack of Grimm, however, it was not limited to a single species. This "pack" displayed quirks and attitudes _far_ different than what would be expected of the average Grimm. Their rate of growth was astounding as they became more... _aware_.

This may not seem like much, but to be _aware_ of something means far more than meets the eye. With awareness, they can observe, learn, and correct themselves in an effort to improve and strengthen themselves...much like any human can.

The "tools" of knowledge and wisdom, that had once solely belonged to the human race, have now been given to their eternal nightmare... _ **the Grimm.**_

This year, was thebeginning of change in all Grimm-kind within Forever Fall.

 _Three years ago…_

The once small herd of peculiar Grimm began to grow in number. This growth was slow and gradual, since not _all_ Grimm became apart of it. Most Grimm noticed the raw power that seemed to emanate from these Grimm and chose to steer clear of them when it came to territories.

Ony the most peculiar and 'unique' Grimm seemed to approach the herd. Whether this was considered a blessing or a nightmare...the Alpha would never know.

 _Two years ago…_

The war had finally concluded. Hunters and huntresses that would crossover through Forever Falls for espionage became scarce, so times became relatively peaceful for the Grimm as they continued to develop.

It was also during this time that some of the Grimm who had been with the Alpha for the longest time began to experience a qualitative change in their existence. They were not _nearly_ as straightforward and simple as they once had been. Beyond sentience and intelligence, they began evolve more on a mental level than a physical one.

And that change...was **personality**. A seemingly simple trait that was used to describe the character, thoughts, and ethics of humans began to emerge within the previously dull psyche that Grimm normally possessed. This seemed to make things more _interesting_ for the Alpha of the pack; especially when the peculiar Grimm began to exhibit some rather _odd_ character traits that didn't seem to stick with his previous outlook on Grimm.

 _One year ago…_

Not much happened this year, outside the continued growth of the Grimm herd's numbers and developing characters.

There was a small encounter that the Alpha experienced with a certain huntsmen that changed its outlook on _many_ things. What impact this encounter had...well, only time will tell.

And now...

" _ **GRAAAH!**_ _Get back here you floating idiot!"_

" _I'll check you dingo's out later! Don't wanna brag, but Ganesha's got a pret-ty important job for me. Ho-ho-ho-ho!"_

...we chance upon an argument between two Grimm of the same herd that simply can't get along.

The angry Grimm, named Mike, was a beowolf that was picked up along with several others by the Alpha around the time the war ended. All the beowolves seemed to possess a temperamental character with Mike being the most obvious of them. Luckily it had fellow members like Marty able to keep it in check.

The 'floating idiot' was Floyd. A Geist Grimm with an overly flamboyant and _annoying_ personality, as well as a penchant for causing trouble. It didn't seem to care much about others besides the original members of the herd.

As the ghostly Grimm escaped from the angered beowolf, it ventured through the trees whilst greeting (annoying) other members of the herd until it reached a large clearing of nothing but grass and a towering figure in the center.

Lying on the ground was the alpha-Goliath, Ganesha, in what seemed to be a state of pondering as it stared into the distance for no apparent reason.

As it saw the geist Grimm approach, Ganesha released a tired sigh as it looked at the phantasmal troublemaker.

It was one of the youngest members, and possessed an air of immaturity that simply couldn't be changed...no matter how hard Ganesha tried.

" _Floyd...will there ever be a day you don't trouble your packmates?"_

Said Grimm was very animated with its hands as it answered, _"Things are wayyy too boring around here. Deep down passed their walls of hatred for my very existence, is an empty, and lonely heart that appreciates my grand appearance. It's tough being the light of every Grimm's lives, but I manage."_

*Sigh*

 _I beg to differ,_ thought Ganesha. Even if he were to say this out loud, he was positive it wouldn't change anything. Floyd was just...well...Floyd.

It was kind of hard to describe something that had no precedent. More often than not, Ganesha remained speechless at the ridiculous actions of the ghostly Grimm...something that was _very_ hard to accomplish considering how Ganesha was the most educated Grimm besides their alpha, Naruto...and another he doesn't like to talk about.

Remaining oblivious to Ganesha's inner thoughts, Floyd continued, _"So what did you need me for, boss? Need me to possess some boulders? Check on the humans? Liven things up? Possess some boulders?!"_

" _Two of those things are- nevermind. No, it's much simpler than that. I just need you to find our Alpha. He should be somewhere further west from here. Most likely at his meditation area again."_

" _You want me to find boss Naruto? Wouldn't it be better to send boss Kuru-...boss Kura….boss-"_

" _You mean Karasuba?"_

" _That's right! Boss Kakapoopoo! Jeez, why did our Alpha have to give her such a hard name?"_

If Ganesha possessed eyebrows, it would have twitched in absurdity at the _complete_ mispronunciation of the moody Nevermore's name. There was no way that could've been an accident...then again, it _was_ Floyd.

 _If Karasuba were to hear that...well, things will definitely become quieter around here,_ pondered Ganesha.

The Goliath merely shook its head, _"I wouldn't know. Lord Naruto gives all of us names that hold some meaning. As for what that meaning is, even I am unsure."_

" _Hmmm...maybe I'll ask him when I see him."_

" _I wouldn't."_ Stated the Goliath briefly before changing the subject, _"But back to your previous question, Karasuba is currently at Emerald Forest. There was a rumor about there being an ancient death stalker there that was pretty powerful, and our Alpha wanted to see if they were willing to join us. As for the others, Pumbaa has also been away recruiting, and Loki...hmph. The point is I would like you to go find our Alpha and have him return for a brief time. There's something important I would like to discuss."_

Completely ignoring how Ganesha's tone shifted a bit darkly when Loki was mentioned, Floyd rose his hand in a mock salute of affirmation.

" _You got it sir! I'll head out in a jiffy!"_

With that said, Floyd floated away until Ganesha could no longer see his appearance past the trees.

*Sigh*

 _Maybe that'll buy us some peace and quiet for a time. Your sacrifice will not be in vain, my Alpha,_ thought Ganesha inwardly.

" _See ya later ya Dingos! I'm off on an important retrieval mission for lord Naruto! I bet you're jealous, right? Keep working hard, and I'm sure you'll be as great as me one day!"_

" _Go to hell Floyd!"_

" _Do us a favor and swallow a rapier wasp!"_

" **GRAAAAAHHHH!** _"_

" _Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!"_

Ganesha looked in the direction he heard growls and amused taunting, then turned to the ground with what appeared to be exasperation and shook its head.

 _My apologies, Lord Naruto..._

* * *

A few miles west from where the herd resided, a fox-like Grimm could be seen meditating on a large stone within the forest of red.

A natural silence permeated through the cold air as the Grimm continued to lay there in peace, seemingly void of all thoughts and awareness toward its surround.

This Grimm was none other the the founder of the herd, and Alpha of the pack, Naruto. He let his three tails bend with the winds as his eyes remained closed in focus. Despite his sleep-like posture, he was in fact in the midst of training.

His body was engulfed in a light black cloak similar to what he possessed when he killed the two huntsmen from years ago, but anyone who was familiar with that time could see the great disparity between then and now.

Back then, Naruto was overcome with emotions and this cloak of energy acted in accordance to how he felt: Wild and untamed.

But now, it seemed much more submissive and restrained. If one were to compare it to something, then in the past it had acted like a wildfire in a forest of drywood. It could not be controlled and spread chaotically to the extent that friends and enemies could not be differentiated...but now?

Now, though the desolate, destructive, and overbearing presence it seemed to emanate was still there, it was clear that it was held back and filtered with the utmost control. This was much like how a dam maintained and regulated the flow of water with optimal efficiency for desired results...But once it was broken or released willingly, a torrent of destructive waves would crash and drown the enemy with all of its might, along with everything around it without mercy.

This calm state of being had lasted for a short while before an abrupt change had occurred.

The once calm and restrained cloak of energy that surrounded the fox's body now became a malevolent aura radiating off of his dark fur. This dark energy cried from the deepest depths of his soul, and rolled off his body with waves of destructive intent. The unbridled fury this ability wrought upon its release had no filter, and all things with life became victim to its torrent of negativity.

Embers of black dust could be seen in the chaotic aura that danced more violently than flames in the wind. If one were to look passed that fear-inducing energy, perhaps it would be a sight to admire.

It was then Naruto's face contorted from its once peaceful expression into one of pain and exhaustion.

"Kuh…! Dammit…I guess that's about all I can take for now!"

Shortly after he said this, the aura that had once surrounded his body had dissipated almost instantly, and the air of his surroundings became peaceful once again…well, as peaceful as carved earth and uprooted trees could be, he supposed.

"Hah~" He sighed tiredly, "One hour…even after all this time, I can still only hold that state for an hour...what am I missing?!"

A hint of irritation could be heard in his tone when he questioned himself.

During the course of 'The Great War' and the peace that followed after, Naruto had never stopped his pursuit in perfecting his body, as well as his abilities.

His battle with Echo, Wretch – Oh, and that Grey-haired eccentric too! – reminded him that the world is much bigger than what his eyes could see. There were people far stronger than him out there, and if not stronger, they were _far_ more prepared than he was.

He understood that he had been lucky during his first year of life to not run into any stronger lifeforms than himself, and because of that, he had become complacent.

It was because of this complacency…that he lost a brother.

Naruto was never one to mope or sit on his ass, however, and knew that things needed to change around him.

And the first step to this, was a change in himself.

It was only because of his newly awakened abilities that things didn't end much worse in the battle against the huntsmen. In fact, Naruto was _positive_ that the battle would have ended in his loss if he hadn't awakened to his new powers.

It was some time after that battle when he discovered that his bones and aura had no relation to each other, other than the fact that they could combine to create the unfathomable ability of turning all things it pierces into dust – hence the name, All-Killing Dust Bones. The downside to this, however, was how _taxing_ it was on his body. If he were lucky, it would only result in temporary paralysis. If he wasn't…well, he himself may just become victim to his own ability.

A result he he didn't dare to test.

The burden was too great in his feeble body, and could only hold for so long, but that wasn't the case if he used them separately.

He found that the bones by itself was actually his Grimm ability, something produced by his own physiology, much like how the Nevermore used their feathers as weapons. Used by itself, the bones were still powerful and as strong as any blade he came to know so far, but did not have the ability to disintegrate anything he touched. That ability, only occurred with the use of his aura.

The black energy that coated his body earlier, and his bones in the fight against the huntsman was called _aura_ , something that should have never existed inside of Grimm. He became the exception because unlike all other Grimm, he possessed a soul…and an extraordinarily powerful one, as seen when he withstood the purification process from his time in Limbo.

But _aura_ itself shouldn't have had that kind of effect, right?

Which led to Naruto to believe that what he used wasn't truly just his aura...but his **Semblance**.

 _My Semblance...what exactly could it be?_

Despite his years of training, he has made no progress in understanding his semblance. He at first thought it was destruction, disintegration, and the ability to break things down to dust, however, he soon found out that wasn't the case.

He didn't know what it was, but he could _feel_ there was more to his ability than simple destruction. One's semblance could be said to be the manifestation of the soul, and – or more specifically – an aspect of their character. Despite him being a Grimm, Naruto didn't truly believe his innate character was one of destruction – at least, he liked to _hope_ he wasn't.

Due to his lack of understanding, he reached a bottleneck in his training and progress became slowed. He was currently only able to maintain his aura for an hour at best, and his All-Killing Dust Bones ability was extremely short-lived with too many drawbacks to use reliably. He opted to use this only as a last resort, if the situation called for it.

"I'm probably going to have to call in a favor with that grey-haired peeping Tom."

When Naruto looks back to the time he had met that man...he can't help but sigh in annoyance. One part of it is because of how mysterious his character is, while another part was how he was able to spy on him without being noticed in the past.

"Well...I suppose it could be worse I guess…"

" _There you are Lord Naruto! I've come to grace you with my fantastic appearance!"_

"...Oum...why?"

* * *

"You know, Ganesha...I have half a mind to beat you senselessly right now. Care to explain why I shouldn't?"

When Naruto returned, he _immediately_ went to find Ganesha...but not for the same reasons he was initially sought out for.

" _I apologize, my Alpha. Floyd was making things a bit...tense, around here. I think Mike was about to maim him if I didn't let him leave at that time."_ Ganesha responded telepathically, with hesitation and embarrassment mixed with its tone.

If there was one thing that hadn't changed about the Grimm, it was their inability to speak.

Unlike Naruto who had a lifetime of experience to become accustomed to the language, the Grimm did not. They had nothing to work off of since their form of communication was done through a link between mentality.

In their eyes, this was _much_ more efficient...which Naruto had to agree with.

But Naruto knew that understanding the language of humans would be important for the future.

Naruto didn't doubt the Grimm's ability to learn, but it would require a significant amount of time. Even Ganesha could only speak some words in incoherent sentences.

"So you moved his focus onto me? What happened to your 'undying' loyalty?"

" _That will always remain unwavering, my Alpha. I would give my life before you ever lost yours."_

"...and what about my sanity? Floyd wouldn't stop talking and asking me questions over, and over, and _over_ , and _**over**_ again! What would you do if my mind broke?!"

" _I believed in you, my lord."_

"I don't need your belief if it's going to give me hell!"

After this conversation continued for a bit, he decided to give up and drop the subject after whacking Ganesha a few times. Nothing that left a painful impression, of course, but was more of a love-tap by an annoyed friend.

Both Naruto and Ganesha walked into the clearing where the Goliath usually rested before sitting down and began to converse in some simple topics before getting to any serious business.

" _How is the progress of your training, Lord Naruto?"_

Naruto shook his head with a sigh, "I'm at a stalemate right now. I think I know of a way to help, but it's something I prefer keeping to myself for now."

None of the Grimm knew about how Naruto met a _human_ , and would meet with them every so often.

While Naruto didn't want to keep this secret from them, he knew exactly how they would react.

Ganesha still had an intense dislike for humanity, as well as Karasuba and the other Grimm. It's hard to gloss over years of being hunted and instinctual hatred toward a race you have no control over. He would know, since he too succumbed to the hate.

As for Pumbaa...the answer was even more obvious since it was on a personal level. The loss of Gordy triggered something within the large boarbatusk, something even Naruto wasn't sure of what to make of. Humans were more clear cut on their emotions, but when it came to Grimm that were experiencing them for the first time...well, Naruto had no way of understanding them unless the Grimm themselves knew what they were feeling.

Being an empath towards negativity didn't make him all-seeing, just a better sensor than most.

" _I see…"_

Ganesha knew something was going on behind the scenes, but he respected Naruto. More so than any other being in existence. To him, Naruto held the hopes for Grimm-kind to ascend in the world of Remnant. How this would be done, he was unsure.

Call it instinct...but it has never steered him wrong before. How else would he have lived for so long?  
After a bit of silence between them, Naruto turned to look at his surroundings for a moment before asking, "I know that Karasuba is away running an errand for me, but where are the others?"

" _Pumbaa seemed to be a bit jealous that you 'entrusted the bird-brain' with a task for recruiting, and not him...so he decided to venture on his own to out-do her."_

The fox Grimm sweatdropped, "That fat-ass...I only sent her because Emerald Forest is pretty far and flying would be a lot further. Why does he have to make a competition out of everything?"

Ganesha tilted its head in amusement as he stared at his pack-leader, " _Might I ask, Lord Naruto...when has he ever acted differently?"_

At this, Naruto quirked his head in thought as he brought a tail to his chin, simulating what appeared to be a thinking pose.

He remembered the times when Gordy and Pumbaa would chase the poor Nevermore around when they first met, and would always try to pick fights with him and the rest of the herd.

It was a brief thought process before he shook his head released a low chuckle.

"I suppose you're right...but you'd think he'd relax after so much time, don't you think?"

" _I suppose it's just in his nature. Both Pumbaa and Gordy were the type to challenge others to strengthen themselves...in a way, he reminds me of you. You always strive to prove something and make yourself better to make things happen. It's the reason why so many of us chose to follow you."_

Naruto laughed lightly once more as he absorbed this information.

"I suppose you're right. I mean, outside of my _astounding_ charisma, how else would I have been able to get a giant like you to follow my ass?"

Before this exchange could continue, Naruto shifted the subject back to what it was initially, knowing that Ganesha dragged on about Pumbaa for so long was to distract him from asking something else.

"Alright Ganesha, I want to know about more than just Pumbaa...so, where'd Loki run off to?"

Hearing that name, Ganesha couldn't help but to shift his countenance into one of intense dislike.

" _Loki...who knows where that troublesome man-donkey went. Probably to cause another ruckus, as per usual for that hateful Nuckelavee."_

"Ganesha," Naruto said quietly with a small look of disappointment, "He's a part of our herd, now. Let bygones be bygones, alright?"

Ganesha turned to Naruto with a blank look, but lowered his head in shame upon noticing the look of disappointment in his eyes.

" _I apologize, my Alpha. I simply dislike the fact we care for a Grimm who challenged your authority in the past."_

"It's like you said, Ganesha. It was in the past, _before_ he was even a part of our herd. Not everyone is as accepting as you are, you need to come to terms with that."

" _...I understand, my Alpha."_

It wasn't long after the incident when Gordy was killed when Naruto and his herd came across the Nuckelavee they now call Loki. In fact, Loki was the first Grimm they had accepted into their herd following the incident with the huntsmen.

Naruto extended an invitation towards the centaur-like Grimm to join his herd, deciding back then that they would need numbers in order to be safe from humanity. Unfortunately, Naruto was a bit naive back then and assumed all Grimm would join him willingly, much like how the others did.

As a result, a fight broke out between Loki and Naruto with the former feeling 'offended' that such a small Grimm desired to become his Alpha.

It is a fact that Grimm grow larger, smarter, and stronger with time. So, how could he believe and accept the fact that such a tiny creature wanted to lord over him?

Naruto prevented the others from helping him, knowing it was his fight. He needed to prove that he was worthy of his Alpha status if he wanted the Nuckelavee to join him.

Another reason was because this Grimm was definitely superior to the Pumbaa and Karasuba in strength. Ganesha was more powerful and intelligent, but from the way the Nuckelavee moved, he knew that it possessed _far_ more years of experience than the Goliath.

Goliath was intelligent for sure, but he could tell that Loki was _wiser_. The meaning between intellect and wisdom, though similar, were completely different.

He had no doubt that Ganesha also sensed this, and in some ways felt _inferior_ to the demonic horse-like Grimm.

It was only after some time Naruto proved his status and strength as an Alpha which caused Loki to submit, though it wasn't done without a hint of reluctance in its eyes.

 _Hopefully things will get better between them soon, we can't afford to have two of our strongest members at eachothers throats,_ Naruto hoped for internally.

"So what was it you wanted to discuss, Ganesha? I know you wouldn't have called me from my training if it wasn't without reason."

Ganesha nodded his head, _"Rather than discuss, it is more of a report, my lord. The Grimm within the area have been getting more antsy and feral lately due to growing negativity in the atmosphere. It's not located in any particular area, but rather Remnant as a whole. It feels...familiar to what it was like two years ago."_

Hearing this, Naruto couldn't help but snarl knowing exactly the reason for this was.

"It seems another war is close at hand, Ganesha. Keep an eye on the herd and any Grimm in the surrounding area. We don't need any Grimm losing their lives and sanity for the mistakes of humanity."

Naruto had been informed by his human friend of this news a while back, and had sensed the changes long ago.

He sympathized with the faunus, knowing _exactly_ what it feels like to be treated as something other than human. Both in his previous life, and this one.

He had hoped that the peace talks between the two races would continue and allow things to resolve peacefully, but it seems that reality would once again rather give him the middle finger.

" _I understand, my Alpha. I will send Mike, Marty, and Larry with the rest of their beowolf squad to check the perimeter of Forever Falls."_

Naruto nodded, "Sounds good. Beowolves will be the best for this considering their speed and numbers...have Floyd stay away from them though. I don't need poor team dynamic and character chemistry messing with a time intensive task. Have him...possess a boulder or something, he likes doing that. Just tell him to serve guard duty for now."

" _As you wish."_

"Good. When the others get back from recruitment, have them-"

As Naruto began to relay his other commands, he felt something in the distance that caused him to stop whatever it was he was going to say and turn towards the location where he usually trained.

" _...Lord Naruto, you were saying?"_ asked Ganesha a bit weirdly, finding something _off_ about how Naruto stopped mid sentence like that to look away at what appeared to be nothing but the usual forestry.

Shaking out of his momentary silence, he continued, "Sorry about that, I was just thinking for a moment. Just have the others meet here with you, and relay to them what I told you. For now, I will be continuing my training in the west. Unless it is a dire emergency, I'd like to be left alone for the remainder of the day."

" _I obey your will, Alpha."_

"I will check in with you later, Ganesha. It is nothing serious for now, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared. All the negativity that comes with war will make the weaker Grimm become more feral, something I wish to prevent...and do stop with the honorifics. Just Naruto would be fine. It's a bit tiring to hear the title _Alpha_ all the damn time."

" _I will keep that in mind, my lord."_

"...you enjoy this, don't you."

" _No comment, my supreme lord Naruto, Alpha among Alphas, and hope for all Grimm-kind."_

"...It's nice to see you have a sense of humor...I'm outta here. Take care of things until I get back."

With that, Naruto left with incredible speed to his meditation grounds in the west.

Ganesha watched as Naruto disappeared in the distance in a blur of speed while thinking back to how strange Naruto was a moment ago.

 _Something is definitely a bit off. He must've sensed something...but what?_

* * *

Naruto came to a halt once he reached his familiar meditation area and training grounds.

He trotted his way to the top of his rock as he closed his eyes and sniffed the air a few times for good measure, to make sure that what he sensed was correct.

After a couple of breathes, he spoke, "Alright, get out of the woods you old bastard. What kind of person sends a signal, and makes the one he invited wait?"

"How disappointing, I thought you would've known me by now Naruto. Isn't this how I was when we first met?"

"No," stated Naruto bluntly, "You were a LOT more annoying when you we first met, and it certainly wasn't as peaceful as it is now." He finished while ignoring the man's comment of 'how rude' in response.

"So what brings you here now, Oz?"

As Naruto called out, a man who was slender in figure, and dressed in a black suit came out from behind a tree with a faint smile on his lips. In his hand was a very old fashioned cane that seemed more like a trinket than a weapon...but from Naruto's experience, he definitely knew that this wasn't the case.

"Am I not allowed to pay a friend of mine a visit for no reason than idle banter?"

"...from your character? I suppose I wouldn't doubt it, but it seems that isn't the case _this_ time, am I right?"

The man of grey hair _hmmm_ -ed a bit in response, and said, "It's a bit of both, I suppose. I would like to ask you something first, if you don't mind."

*Snort*

"As ambiguous as always. Just say what you need to say Oz, there are some things I need to take care of with the herd, so I don't want to waste _too_ much time with random banter. Just shoot."

"Then I won't hold back, dear friend. Tell me...how much do you believe in fairy tales?"

* * *

 **A/N: End of Chapter!**

Let me just go ahead and skip to some of the characters that were introduced into the story.

 **Q: Who are Mike, Larry, Marty, Floyd, and Loki? Are they referenced from other characters or OC?**

 **A:** I guess you could consider Mike, Larry, Marty, and Floyd Canon characters...but only withing the RWBY Chibi series. More specifically, Season 2: Episode 14. They seemed interesting, so I added them to my story as Grimm.

As for Loki, he is original. The horns of the Nuckelavee reminded me of Loki's helmet in Avengers, so I gave him that name...that was really the main reason why he was named that way.

 **Q: You sure did a lot of info dumpage this chapter...why?**

 **A:** I sure did. And because of plot and development. If this isn't a satisfactory answer, then oh well I guess? The chapter is already out, and I'm not exactly up for redoing the chapter _again_.

 **Q: Will Naruto [blah blah] this? Will he be like [blah blah] that? Can he [blah blah]?**

 **A:** In the most respectful way possible, I won't be answering any questions on what to expect and questions about what will happen in the future. Spoiling things ruins stories guys.

 **That's all guys!**

My next release will happen sometime...whenever I get the chance. I work and have other things to do, so I'm trying guys.

Bear with me, and I hope you enjoy the ride.

~Stay Cool, but don't Freeze.


	10. A Grimm Tale

**Arc 2: Grimm*******

 **A/N:** I'm now on vacation from work, and found some time to finish this chapter. Narukami and a _new_ story idea I had in mind may be released later this month, or next month. I make no promises, since it will only disappoint you guys.

I know it's late, but all I will say is I've been busy and I have priorities and responsibilities to take care of before I write. I will write when I have the chance...and my chance came in the past few days.

This chapter may not be very exciting, but is necessary. I'm constantly trying to improve my writing skills, but it is a slow process.

That being said, I hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, BLEACH, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.**

 **The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: A Grimm Tale**

"Tell me...how much do you believe in fairy tales?"

Naruto adopted a curious, yet confused look in his sunset eyes as he tried to make sense of the question. A strange, tense silence permeated through the air that seemed to signal the seriousness of this curveball question.

"I'm sorry...what?"

"Fairy tales, Naruto," repeated Oz, "Some confuse them with things like 'legends', 'myths', or other things of that nature; and while they do share some similarities, their core element is a bit more complex."

Oz approached Naruto in a slow, roundabout manner, as he twirled his cane in the midst of his explanation.

"Legends indicate some element of historical accuracy, and tell of real people, places, or things. A myth can also have a historical root, but are typically explained through supernatural phenomena like gods, demons, etc.

"A fairy tale, however, is something a bit more fantastic, in the sense that we ' _know'_ certain things, beings, creatures, and places don't exist. We reject the reality of these existences because they can't be explained naturally. It might even be accurate to call such stories dreams we wish were true _because_ of how impossible they seem."

Ozpin paused once he was a only few feet away from Naruto and rested his hands on his cane. He looked into his eyes, as if here were searching for something.

"If you were to hear of one such story, how likely would _you_ be to believe it?"

Naruto thought it was a bit ridiculous to believe in something only a child would. Going by what Oz said, fairy tales seem to be stories that parents read to their kids before going to sleep, and served mainly as a tale for entertainment.

Why believe in something that was made for the purpose of entertainment?

...But when he started to reflect on his residual memories and circumstances, these things didn't seem all that absurd anymore.

He knew that many things in his _old_ world would be considered nothing more than fantasy to Remnant. Humans called shinobi were capable of astonishing things like commanding and shaping the elements from nothing more than a few hand movements.

They were able to summon things like oversized, talking toads and snakes that fought like shinobi and aided them in battle. Some even managed to bring the dead back to life to serve as nothing more than slaves to battle... _that_ little tidbit was hard forget considering how many times he experienced that situation in his previous life.

On a grander scale, there were tailed beasts the size of mountains with powers beyond that of normal humans by a great margin. They could alter the terrain with a single step, and destroy settlements as easy as breathing.

The crazy fact, however, was how these beasts were only a _fraction_ of what it truly was. An omnipotent, primordial being of destruction known as the Juubi.

But again, this world and _that_ world are two different worlds.

"...I think it's _possible_ for these tales to hold some truth."

"Oh?" Said Oz.

"While it _is_ possible, I still say it's improbable. I believe in what I see, not hear."

"I see…then I'll suppose you'll have to humor me then."

 _I had a feeling he was going somewhere with this,_ he thought.

"Tell me...what is your favorite fairy tale, Naruto?"

His response from said Grimm was a deadpan stare that lasted for more than a few awkward moments.

"...I'm a Grimm, Oz. Where the hell would I hear of _any_ fairy tales?"

Whatever Oz was going to follow up with was cut short as he realized his oversight...well, he did say he's made more mistakes than anyone in Remnant.

"I'm not sure if you noticed this, but people aren't exactly _fond_ of Grimm, Ozzy. I can't exactly go up to them and say, 'Hey guys, can you tell me a bedtime story? I'm just an adowable wittle Gwimm. Pwease don't kill me!'" he said, putting on the act of an adorable little fox, before crossing two of his tails in front of him, like arms, whilst giving Oz an incredulous look.

"I would sooner have a bullet in my head than some heartwarming tale...that, or be dissected. I kind of break the norm of what Grimm _should_ be capable of, and I can just imagine how many mad scientists would _love_ to get a hold of me."

"Ah...right, my apologies." said Oz as he coughed into his hand. "You are just so much more articulate than the rest of your species, it becomes easy to forget that you are a Grimm."

"I'll admit were not exactly _bright_ compared to humans...but fuck you."

"Now now, watch your Language." said Oz with a wag of his finger.

"'Now now, get to the point already," mocked Naruto with a wag of his tail. "I don't have all day, Oz. I don't need my herd searching for me just to bump into you. God knows what sort of chaos that would become."

"*Ahem* Right...well, some common stories that exist here on remnant are ones like 'The Shallow Sea', 'The Girl in the Tower', 'The Story of the Seasons'...and the list goes on."

Naruto wasn't lying earlier when he said he had never "heard" of any fairy tales...but he didn't say he didn't know any.

When Oz first brought up fairy tales, he had been silent because he had received some knowledge from Monty, and was slowly absorbing some of it.

Even after receiving the knowledge of fairy tales, he still had to play the part of an ignorant Grimm. It would seem even _more_ absurd if he had heard some of the lore in remnant.

"Where are you going with this, Oz?"

"Well, I'd like to share one in particular," said Oz, which seemed to draw a curious look from the three-tailed fox. "And I believe it may help you in understanding your species a little more; it is one even _I_ believe in...'The Tale of Two Brothers'."

A hint of doubt could be seen in his eyes, but the swaying of his tails told Ozbourne he was pretty invested into the conversation. And why wouldn't he be? Ozbourne knew that Naruto had a great desire to learn more about himself and his species; a desire he was beginning to share as well with the young fox. "You're saying I can learn more about the Grimm from this _tale_ of yours?" said Naruto.

"It is more of a religion than a tale, to be honest, but not _everyone_ in humanity believes as such. With how long the world has existed, people were bound to create dozens of different gods, and goddesses." said Oz.

While he carried on, Naruto was waiting for an influx of information to come to him like the one about 'The Story of the Seasons' had...but nothing came.

 _Strange,_ he thought. _I'm not getting any information like usual._

Throughout the years, Naruto had grown accustomed to randomly receiving information about different things thanks to Monty. He found that if a topic was brought up, it would light a spark in his mind and allow him to obtain some knowledge about it. He figured that would be the same case this time as well, especially considering how significant this _Fairy Tale_ is...but there was nothing.

 _Something isn't right,_ he thought before refocusing his attention back to Ozbourne. If he wasn't going to learn this topic the easy way, then he'll have to be attentive.

Oz continued, "But if there was one religion I could recommend as factual, it would be this one. 'The Tale of Two Brothers' is about Two siblings, one older and one younger; gods who filled Remnant with both life and destruction."

Naruto noticed how Oz had a look of admiration, worship, and respect; something unusual for the grey haired man. He had never took the eccentric, coffee addicted man to be someone who believed in 'faith' so wholeheartedly. What seemed even more odd was how he talked about these gods with a sense of familiarity. Almost as if he _knew_ them personally.

 _That can't be right though,_ Naruto mused.

"The Older brother would spend his days creating water, plants and wildlife...but as you could probably imagine from two polar opposites, the younger brother would discover his sibling's creations at night and become _disgusted_. In response, he brought drought, fire and famine to the world to counter these creations."

Oz sighed in sadness, something Naruto caught, but had no intention to address at the moment.

"Yet life persevered and adapted to the younger brother's destruction, frustrating the god even further. So one night, the younger brother made something...something which shared his innate desire to destroy anything and _everything_ the older brother created-"

"The Grimm." Said Naruto.

Ozbourne paused at the interruption, nodding slowly in affirmation.

"Your saying that our existence- no, our very _reason_ for existence was meant for destruction?" said Naruto in a tone laced with traces of irritation and anger. Oz could only remain silent at this, but that was all the answer Naruto needed to confirm the thoughts of the gray-haired eccentric.

"Oz, you've known me for about a year now. You know what I think and how I feel about different things. The fact I can think and feel in the _first_ place should show you that, us Grimm," Naruto paused as he gave Oz a pointed look of confidence and conviction in his words and beliefs. "We are _more_ than the monsters we were painted to be."

Naruto believed this fact completely. He's seen the growth of his herd first-hand and is intimately aware of the potential Grimm possess. Despite being a member of the race of dark creatures, he is _still_ trying to learn and understand what secrets their bodies may hold for the future.

He knew it would be a long journey, but it was a challenge he was willing to make. Monty had told him already that 'there was so much more to Grimm than meets the eye', and he was going to prove this fact to the world.

"Of course, Naruto," Spoke Oz with a smile, "I meant no offense by what I said. While I do believe your purpose was meant for destruction originally, it does not mean that would hold true forever."

Oz approached Naruto once more, patting his head lightly with a sense of comfort. He saw Naruto frown at the gesture out of annoyance, but took no action to move away from the offending hand. "If that truly was the only reason for your existence, would I still be standing before you right now?

"I approached you because I saw that you were the _key_ to changing these, once, mindless race of creatures into something greater. A purpose beyond what the gods initially placed on you. Change is the only constant in the universe, after all, and I believe that to be true with your kind as well."

Oz's smile seemed to be contagious as a grin etched its way onto Naruto's face. "Tch, you and your philosophical bullshit, it makes you sound like an old man. You really give that grey hair of yours some justice."

"How rude."

The two snickered for a moment, before Naruto adopted a curious expression. "How old are you, anyways? You don't look a day over thirty, yet you-"

 _-look like someone whos experienced a lifetime of turmoil._

Naruto left his original sentence hang in the air, and finished the rest within his thoughts. While the two were good friends at this point, they both had rights to their own secrets. Naruto _never_ planned to share the fact that this world isn't where he belonged, and in fact came from one where shinobi were gifted with a plethora of powers that made this place seem like a playground in comparison.

This type of knowledge would come with a plethora of problems; problems he didn't have the patience to handle right now. There's just too much going on, with growth and survival being the most important things at present.

If the guy didn't want to share, then that's that. He would wait till the man is ready.

Oz caught Naruto's action, and gave him an appreciative smile. "You'll know with time, my friend. You'd be surprised."

"I'm _surprised_ you're still rubbing my head." said Naruto with a snap of his jaws.

Oz managed to flinch away before the fox could leave a mark on his hand. "I'm not a pet, ya caffeinated coot!

"And don't you have a story to finish?"

"*Ahem*, it seems we got a tad bit sidetracked," Oz said, coughing into his hand. "So, where was I?"

"Ah, yes, the creation of the Grimm. After untold destruction was wrought through their birth, it didn't take long for the older brother to discover what his sibling had done. Weary of their feud, the god of life proposed that they work together to create something they could both be proud of.

"This creature would possess the ability to create, and destroy. It would possess the gift of knowledge; to be aware of the acts that resulted from their actions, learn from them, and grow. But their final gift, is perhaps the most significant of them all."

Naruto, curious about what this final gift was, perked his ears and leaned in, in interest.

He waited for the answer to come.

And waited.

...and waited.

"...I get the feeling people find you annoying."—Naruto crossed his tails, like a human would their arms if they were irritated—"I sure as hell do."

"I figured a long pause would give it a more dramatic effect," said Oz, raising a questioning brow. "Too much?"

"Just get back to it, Oz."

"Well,"—Oz struck a lax, cross-armed pose—"What if I don't want to?"

"...I'm leaving."

Naruto didn't have time for this shit. He didn't like to leave his herd alone for too long. It was filled with too many _unique_ personalities that he couldn't help but worry for. No Grimm he made contact with was ever normal.

Naruto hopped off the stump he was resting on and began to trot away when he heard the eccentric man began to laugh lowly.

"My apologies, Naruto. I just wanted to make a statement," he said, before he motioned his hand for Naruto to listen once more.

He obligated the old man, if only because of his ever present curiosity. He sat on the stump once more as he gave Ozbourne his attention.

"Before I continue,"—Oz heard Naruto grumble 'Of course' under his breath, but chose to ignore this—"I would like to ask, why do you dislike eating humans?"

Oz saw Naruto freeze up noticeably, but continued. "You've told me in the past that your biology as a Grimm almost _forces_ you to consume human flesh. And I know you still do.

"But the difference between you and the Grimm this world has come to know, is that you only consume humans that are dead to sate your hunger, where a normal Grimm doesn't care for these facts. Why is that?"

When Naruto first met Oz, it wasn't the most pleasant of meetings. It was a battle that scarred the earth and ruined the environment...and he was the one who came out with the short end of the stick.

While Naruto possessed experience as a shinobi, it was _much_ different fighting in the form of the fox. In place of all his old abilities were new powers he had yet to understand, let alone _master_ them. Ozbourne, however, had _years_ of experience and time to master and improve his abilities to the peak.

It was a battle, that honestly, should've resulted in his demise.

 _Thank god for the man's natural curiosity to the bizarre,_ he thought.

At the end of the battle, Oz approached Naruto with good intentions; something Naruto could feel due to his nature as a Grimm, and natural affinity toward negative emotions. It wasn't long after where Naruto began to share with Oz the irresistible urges Grimm seem to have, and how even _now_ Naruto experiences them.

Their initial relationship was formed of mutual exchange. Oz would share world events and his information on Grimm, while Naruto would share his own experiences and collection of information on them. After a few months, however, it quickly evolved into one of friendship and trust since they were both forthright with each other, and Naruto couldn't detect any bad intentions from the man.

To reassure the man, he also mentioned that he only consumed humans who were already deceased, and never actively hunted them. The conversation was left at that for a while, but it seems that Oz decided to bring that discussion back to light for some reason.

The problem with this question, however, is that the answer is _so_ much more complicated than Oz realizes. The source stems from Naruto's humanity, something he possessed in his old life and brought into the body of a soulless fox Grimm. It wasn't something that could be passed off as age and experience, because it was clear by his size that this wasn't the case.

It was a secret Naruto didn't feel ready to share, simply because of how unbelievable it was.

Ozbourne could sense there was an internal struggle going on, and knew the situation was more complicated than it seemed.

He smiled nonetheless and said, "You don't have to share the reason, Naruto. It is your _choice_ , whether or not you decide to reveal any information to me. Much like it was your _choice_ to consume only the humans who had already passed on, versus those who continue to actively hunt your kind down.

"I _chose_ to pause my story for reasons unbeknownst to you, and you _chose_ to leave once you grew weary of my antics."

A light bulb seemed to go off in Naruto's head as he started to understand what it was Oz was trying to get at with his story. "The right to decide your fate...the power of choice, that's what you're trying to get at, right?" he said lowly, but loud enough for Ozbourne to catch it.

Oz nodded with a smile, "Correct. The brothers gifted these creatures the right to _choose_ whether they would use their gifts to create, or to destroy. And with those four great gifts, my dear fox, humanity came to be."

"I see...so what happened to the brothers afterwards?"

Oz shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? It's believed they separated themselves from the world shortly afterward, leaving fate to their creations."

Naruto nodded at this, but various thoughts began to intrude his mind as he reflected on the story he just heard. From the way Oz carried himself and how intimate he seemed to be in regards to the "Tale of Two Brothers," Naruto could guess that he must've had contact with these "gods" at some point.

But from what he gathered in from Oz as he told his story, was that he didn't seem to be aware of one _other_ particular being Naruto had met; the creator of this universe, Monty Oum.

Naruto saw first hand the power Monty held, and even heard him admit that the world of Remnant and its inhabitants truly belong to him; it was simply impossible to fake the sincerity and genuine care Monty held over these beings when he discussed them. As powerful as Monty seemed, even _he_ admitted that he wasn't a true god, and was merely a creator that was responsible for this universe. Knowing all this made Naruto question that, if Oz's story were true, what role did these "gods" play?

 _Monty mentioned that these 'worlds' that creators construct are originally works of fiction,_ he thought. _That they were nothing more than 'fabrications meant for entertainment', so in other words...stories? Tales?_

 _If that's the case, then these "gods" must be a mechanic he made to explain the creation of his story. Wait_ —Naruto paused, reflecting on his talk with Monty— _not a story. I believe he called it...an 'animated series'?_

Naruto was slowly coming to an understanding of how this world worked, despite there still being some pretty large gaps in information. Even if he didn't have evidence that the story Ozbourne held was true, he couldn't deny the genuine emotions the man felt as he told it. To him, it didn't seem like he was a religious follower speaking of someone almighty; it felt more like he was talking about someone dear to him.

It was how personal and connected Oz felt as he told the story that convinced Naruto that this story must hold _some_ truth, at the very least.

Oz found it strange how Naruto remained silent since he finished his story, but left the fox to his thoughts. It _did_ seem unbelievable.

It was only a few moments later when Naruto cast him a questioning gaze. "Ya know, for beings made with the purpose to destroy, we're pretty peaceful unless humans are involved." said Naruto.

"Oh? How so?" said Oz.

"I mean, the younger brother made us to destroy the older's one's creations, right? That was before humanity was created...so why don't I hear any stories of Grimm destroying nature? Even now, I've yet to witness the Grimm destroy life around them on purpose, unless it had to do with humans. Why is that?"

Naruto was reminded of the time he first hunted down a deer because of his hunger pains. Pumbaa and Gordy had given him a look as if he were a crazed Grimm. Despite their lack of knowledge, a grimm saw _him_ as insane for attacking nature, but see no fault in attacking a human.

Perhaps it was because they knew it was grotesque in comparison to a human, but that only begs another question if that were the case.

Why can't they eat animals? Why don't they offend nature?

 _...and why do humans taste so good?_ Thought Naruto. It was a morbid thing to consider, but Naruto couldn't help but feel that humans were abnormally delicious. As if they were _nourishing_ his very existence.

"Hmmm...now that you mention it," said Oz, eyes widening slowly as the question, truly, sunk in. "What you say holds true. Grimm may have once done things like that in the past, but now the focus just seems to be more on faunus-kind and humanity.

"Strange...why have I never thought this before?"

"Well, there's probably been no reason to think about that sort of perspective, considering people were more worried about their lives and how to defend against Grimm, rather than understand why it doesn't bother to knock over some trees or eat animals."

Naruto wasn't fully confident in the answer himself, and didn't really feel that bringing up how delicious and nourishing a human was would be appropriate.

"Perhaps," Oz said, stroking his chin with a pondering look. "It's certainly something worth thinking about. Not many things pique my curiosity these days.

"Well, not since I discovered a talking fox-Grimm that could feel emotions, and somehow evolve his herd through its aura. Something that should be impossible for Grimm to possess in the first place."—Ozbourne shrugs his shoulder—"But, I digress."

Naruto's tails twitched in irritation. "I think I've had enough 'Oz' for one day, I'm gonna go check on the herd. Floyd can only sit still for so long."

"Ah, the Geist Grimm, right? What an odd fellow, he is. I've never heard of human, let alone a Grimm, to have such a...colorful personality, so to speak."

Naruto snorted at that statement, finding it ridiculous based on whose mouth it just came out of.

"That's rich coming from you."

"Now that wasn't necessary. I consider myself to be a more curious, and unconventional individual."

"More like bizarre and erratic. Anyway," said Naruto, "I gotta go. Thanks for the story, Oz. It's given me some things to think about. I'll let you know if I'm onto something."

As Naruto prepared to leap into the red forestry, Oz called out to him once more.

"Before you go, I have to ask: How has 'he' been since we last talked?"

Naruto didn't turn around, but Oz could imagine the frown that replaced the fox's typical grin.

"He's-" Naruto stopped, not exactly sure how to answer. "It's...complicated, Oz. We'll talk about it another time."

"I see," said Oz, nodding his head. "Well, until next time, my friend. I wish you the best in your pursuit to learn about Grimm."

Naruto inclined his head in understanding before finally leaving Oz in the clearing alone. He continued to watch the fox leave even after he was no longer in sight.

"I hope you can succeed where I have failed, Naruto, and _truly_ come to understand them...in more ways than one."

* * *

 **With Naruto's herd**

" _I just don't get it Marty! What is_ _ **wrong**_ _with that Grimm?! I mean, I know we're unreasonable by nature, but_ _ **him?!**_ _It's too much!"_

" _Mike, just calm down."_

" _ **I am Calm!**_ "

 _What the hell did I just walk into?_ Thought Naruto

It hasn't been long since Naruto left Oz to come back to his herd, and only moments after entering his territory did he see two familiar beowolves barking at each other.

Naruto couldn't help but shake his head at the two. This had become a familiar scene to him since they gained personalities of their own. Mike would always be angered by something, and Marty would _attempt_ to console him so he didn't hurt anyone in his frustration.

" _Mike, why don't we-"_

Marty froze when he looked passed Mike's shoulder and saw a three-tailed fox grimm standing only a few meters away from the two.

"' _Why don't we' what, Marty? Why'd you freeze up?"_ said Mike, unaware of their Alpha behind him _. "You alright?"_

Marty lifted his...finger? Claw? Whatever it was, and pointed in Naruto's direction.

" _What, is it that bastard Floyd again?! I am_ _ **not**_ _in the mood for his shit right now! I'm gonna-"_ —Mike turned around in fury, only to still and stutter at the sight of Naruto— " _gonna, err- uh...hey, Lord Naruto. I mean-"_

It took only a second after realizing who the Grimm was before them, for the two beowolves to stand at attention like a soldier. Where the two Grimm learned how to do that, Naruto didn't know.

" _Lord Naruto, SIR! GRIMM! Alpha SIR!"_ said both Grimm, almost incoherently.

Naruto could only sigh at his given titles. Ganesha had conditioned practically the whole herd in a militant fashion. No matter what, he still couldn't escape any titles of hierarchy.

 _Is it really that difficult to just call me 'Naruto'?_ He thought.

" _Relax, guys, I just got back. No need to be all stiff."_

" _No can do, Alpha sir!"_

" _Lord Ganesha specifically stated you liked to be referred to as Alpha, Sir!"_

Naruto twitched at that.

" _He said that, did he?"_ said Naruto, his canines beginning to grind together in frustration.

 _Looks like I may need to have another word with that shrewd mammoth._

Naruto refocused his gaze at the two Grimm who remained still as a statue. " _Were you guys talking about Floyd again?"_

Mike and Marty finally motioned a look to another, blinking in confusion.

" _Look, I know he can be annoying, an ass, flippant, eccentric, glib-"_ said Naruto, stopping once he saw he was going off tangent.

" _*Ahem*, well, the point is that he's a part of the herd now, and will be with us for the long haul. No matter how much we may regret it…"_ he said, though the last part was muttered low enough for them not to catch it.

Naruto waited for the two to say _something_ in response, but all he received was silence.

" _You guys_ can _answer me. Why do you look so lost?"_

" _Well," said Mike. "While I do agree with everything you said and more, alpha, he wasn't who I was complaining about."_

" _Hm?"_

" _Did you not hear, Lord Naruto?"_ said Marty.

Naruto shot him a blank stare as if to say, 'Really?'

" _Ah, right. You just got back,"_ said Marty, realizing his mistake _. "Well, Lord Loki came back with some injuries. There were some arrows sticking out of his back-"_

" _Loki?"_ Naruto said, cutting Marty off with a frown and worried look. " _Is he alright?"_

Despite the differences Naruto may share with the Nuckelavee, he treated everyone in his herd the same—as family. He couldn't help but worry over the injuries of his herd, no matter who they are. Not since he lost Gordy.

No matter how long time had passed, Naruto was still affected by the loss of one of his original herd members. It left a mark on his heart that still ached to this day, and reinforced his conviction to understand and protect the Grimm with his whole being. It was like he had lost a younger brother that day.

" _The horned bastard seemed fine to me."_ said Mike. He didn't bother hiding the contempt behind his words, and practically _spat_ the statement out within his growls.

" _Mike...Lord Naruto-"_

" _Will understand!"_ Said Mike, stopping Marty from reprimanding him. While he didn't want to offend their Alpha, he did want Naruto to understand his thoughts. If there was something the whole herd could agree on, it was that Naruto held _genuine_ care and responsibility for their growth and safety. He took the time to question them about their developing personalities, answered their growing concerns, and consoled them when they felt pain for the first time.

Mike wouldn't admit this to the public, but some have come to treat him as their father in some ways; and Mike was no different. Because of this, he wanted his _father_ to understand where he was coming from, if only to vent his evolving feelings and frustrations with the presence of the Nuckelavee.

" _Naruto,"_ —Naruto shook in surprise, noting the lack of title — " _He doesn't treat us the same way you do. Yea, Floyd is annoying as all hell, but I don't look down on him. He's strong, and I can respect that._

" _But Loki, he doesn't seem to respect_ _ **anyone**_ _, save for you. I asked him if he was okay earlier, and you want to know what he told me?"_

His breath was short, with fury etched into every bark he made. 'Anyone' was practically a growl, and Naruto was beginning to grow concerned for the beowolf. He had never seen him so enraged.

"' _You are nothing more than fodder for the herd. Your sympathy is unnecessary.'"_ said Mike, breathless with a torrent of hostility beginning to storm his surroundings.

" _He doesn't see me as anything! Not just me, but he looks at everyone with apathy in his eyes; as if there is no meaning to know us. In his eyes, we just don't compare!"_

Silence gripped the world by the neck for a moment. Not a breeze was felt. Not a sound was made. The three Grimm were stuck in a quiet state for what seemed like hours, but were nothing more than a few minutes.

Naruto said nothing, waiting for Mike to calm down even if it was only a bit. His patience seemed to have paid off as the hairs on Mike that stood on end receded back, along with the rage he had felt.

" _Lord Naruto,"_ spoke Mike, more mellow now that he managed to vent his thoughts. " _I know how you see us. But Loki...he's not the same."_

 _He isn't one of us._

Naruto didn't need to read minds to understand this was how he felt.

Naruto looked at Marty, and could see the tacit agreement through his actions. His shoulders were still, and eyes were overshadowed in a negative whirl of emotions that were difficult to comprehend. Perhaps what sold it was the slight nod and silence that remained when Mike finished his words.

 _It seems...that Mike isn't the only one being affected around here,_ he thought.

Naruto didn't know what to say for a moment. The Grimm were still new to the emotions they were feeling, so tackling these issues were a delicate matter. This wasn't limited to just the new members, but Loki and the other lords as well.

" _Mike...Marty...I will_ never _see you that way, and I never have,"_ he said. " _Loki is...he's like you; new to his emotions and confused by these feelings. While we all feel many things, we're ultimately guided by a single emotion."_

He looked to Marty, " _You feel more 'concern', hence why you try to look out for Mike and the other Grimm so much. And you,"—_ he then looked to Mike—" _are driven driven by anger. Floyd is one of the rare ones, motivated by a positive emotion- whimsy, in his case._

" _And Loki? He's…"_ he stopped, unsure of how to articulate what the Nuckelavee feels. " _for him...he's consumed by grudge and enmity. A_ _ **very**_ _powerful emotion. Unfortunately, it's not in the good way."_

While most of the Grimm despise the humans, that is normally only shown when they are around. His herd is typically fine without the presence of humans, and only become tense or show signs of instability when they sense human negativity.

Loki, however, drowns in his hate _all_ the time. Naruto has no clue why this is the case; the horse-like Grimm isn't exactly the most open of the bunch. Trying to understand the root of his grudge is risky, and may set him off in a way that may be irreparable.

Naruto decided to wait until he was ready to share, but it seems he could no longer be so patient. Not when he has become more _volatile_.

" _I'll go talk to him. I don't tolerate his thoughts on the herd. Just know that what he says doesn't speak for the_ rest _of the lords. You're all invaluable."_

Though his words did comfort the two Grimm, it was only to a shallow extent. Loki used words that dug deep into their existence, and could never be removed. He stained their thoughts with this new outlook on their purpose, and perhaps it will carry on for years to come. Unfortunately, only time will tell how deep these wounds will last for.

" _Why don't you rest, for now? Just leave things up to me."_

His only response was a curt, 'Yes, Lord Naruto', before they motioned to leave. Despite their dark turn their mood had taken, a look of appreciation could be discerned from their developing aura.

Naruto watched the beowolves drudge away with a look of sympathy, and disappointment in Loki. He looked in the direction he would be able to find the demonic half-man, half-horse Grimm and sighed.

" _Haaah~...Loki…"_

* * *

 **A/N: End of Chapter**

Thank you guys for being patient with me. I'll do my best to release the next chapter as soon as I can.

As I mentioned before, please comment, question, and/or criticize so I may improve as a writer. I'm constantly learning, and wish to continue doing so.

I won't answer questions about story elements or what may happen in the future. I intentionally leave some gaps of information, to be filled in for later. Otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a mystery.

Thanks again for your support, and I will continue to write when I can.

~Stay Cool, but don't Freeze


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